Some Things Must Never Be Forgotten * Over 400 years ago, twelve great warriors united the beleaguered armies of men and scoured the war-torn lands of evil, pushing the enemy back into the underground pits and caverns from whence they came. To ensure their legacy, each of the Twelve founded fortress monasteries to impart their unique knowledge of war and politics to a select few, the Knights of the Twelve. But now the last of the Twelve have long since passed from history to legend and the Knights, their numbers dwindling, are harbouring a dark and terrible secret that must be protected at all costs. * Merad Reed has spent half his life guarding a great crater known as the Pit, yearning for some escape from the bleak monotony. Then the arrival of Aldarin, one of the few remaining Knights of the Twelve, sets off a chain of cataclysmic events that will change Reed forever. * To the north, Jelaïa del Arelium, heiress to the richest of the nine Baronies, must learn to navigate the swirling political currents of her father's court if she hopes one day to take his place. But the flickering flames of ambition hide the shadow of an even greater threat. * And deep within the earth, something is stirring.

Two brothers struggling to find their place in the world. For the elder sibling Kildare, every morning begins with the memory of betrayal. Once governed by the principles of morality, Kildare has become an instrument of blood and steel-where the speed of his sword arm metes out his own brand of justice. Only the strength and resolve of his brother Zedaine keeps him from succumbing to the ever-present rage that burns behind his dark eyes. While employed by the mysterious sage Blade, the pair stumble upon Chameleon, a runaway tribeswoman displaying extraordinary psychic powers. Their meeting, however, is no chance encounter. A riddle Chameleon carries will change not only the future of the three, but the fate of the entire world. Hundreds of miles away, Macklore, a powerful wizard of Brisbane, has been dispatched to the volatile city of Gallanse. Smitten at the sight of princess Lydia, Macklore defies his orders and finds himself thrust into the middle of a bloody succession. When he openly supports Lydia's family, he is marked for death by a cult of magi working to raise the psychotic prince Dragomir to the throne. With few allies, Macklore must use his wits and innate magical powers to keep Dragomir from the crown and himself alive. Racing towards Gallanse, Kildare and Zedaine are torn between saving Macklore's life and exacting terrible vengeance upon the man responsible for their betrayal.