Tennyson, the false prophet of the Outsider cult, has escaped and Halt is determined to stop him before he crosses the border into Araluen, but Genovesan assassins put Will and Halt's extraordinary archery skills to the test.
Hal and the Herons, having won the Brotherband competition, are accused of stealing the Skandians' most sacred artifact and face challenges on their journey to reclaim it and clear their names.
Now a full-fledged Ranger responsible for a sleepy fief, Will finds a new adventure seeking the traitors who poisoned the king, investigating rumors of sorcery, and trying to rescue his friend Alyss, who is taken hostage.
Will, who has become a protector of his first fief after many years as a Ranger's apprentice, is faced with many challenges when Keren, a renegade knight, takes over Castle Macindaw and forges a secret alliance with Scotti.
Chasing the Skandian slave-traders who kidnapped Will and Evanlyn, Ranger Halt and warrior student Horace find themselves in the frozen northern islands, where they battle a ruthless black-clad knight as they attempt to rescue their friends.
When fifteen-year-old Will is rejected by battleschool, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger.
Chasing the Skandian slave-traders who kidnapped Will and Evanlyn, Ranger Halt and warrior student Horace find themselves in the frozen northern islands, where they battle a ruthless black-clad knight as they attempt to rescue their friends.
Will and his friend Horace are chosen by the Rangers to do battle with the evil warlord Morgarath; but Morgarath and his legions make it over the once impassible eastern mountains with plans to to ambush the king's army.
