The water of life is running out.
Reduner nomads have massacred the Quartern's Rainlords, leaving its cities vulnerable to the relentless desert. Stormlord Shale must stretch his powers to bring rain or his people will die - if they don't meet a nomad's knife first. And while Shale's own highlords and waterpriests plot against him, his reduner brother prepares his revenge.
Then when Shale's comrades leave to free the dunes from tyranny, only Terelle remains at his side. She has been his secret weapon, covertly boosting his powers. But when waterpainter magic compels Terelle to travel to distant Khromatis, she must leave or be destroyed. Danger awaits, yet as Khromatis gave the Quartern its first Stormlord she may find help there - as well as betrayal.
