Ash still feels deeply connected to Luna, but as she loses herself in her grief, he must work with his sister Lye to fight against the ever-increasing power of the Chancellor. When Ash discovers his sister's betrayal and an unlikely connection to the Chancellor, he questions everything he knows, fighting to determine who to believe and what the real motives are behind those around him. With the ghost of a past loved one appearing when Lye needs advice, she realizes that even if she can't help Luna directly, she can aid Luna's people. She begins advising the general in battle, her borrowed insights changing the course of the war. When Ash, Lye, and Luna are joined by the Carvresses, who harbor a cataclysmic secret of their own, and finally understand the Chancellor's true nature, the three risk their lives, their powers, and everything they have to save each other and the land they've come to call home. Sequel to THE GIRL WITH THE HICKORY HEART.