Gath and his friends have to go on despite the loss of Oda who had been abducted by Master Trader Soj Eckin. The memories of their lives together remains with Gath - and with Zar. Eckin, Samlathi Via and Oda each have their own paths to travel and for at least two of them it is to prove a long, difficult and painful path. For the Diderai, Ral-an, wanting to escape from his duties with the prince's Company and its Lord Captain, Gath, finds a more welcome and difficult task set him when he is sent a Warrant and a letter in which Gath begs him to find Oda for him. He is joined in that search by an escort of both Prince's Guard and Diderai. On the Estate of the Lady Dreanna a new servant arrives, an 'exotic' who has travelled far since he awoke in Horisland and afterwards came onto a string of the Master Trader Soj Eckin. For a Defender on that Estate, however, there was to be a happier outcome when he was summoned to join the Lord Captain.