<p><b><font><i>The past never forgets . . .</i></font></b><br><br><b>''I love the magic Lucier weaves through this dark yet hopeful tale. I devoured it in one sitting!'' Kristin Cashore, author of the <i>New York Times </i>bestselling Graceling Realm books</b><br><br>Three years ago, Lord Cassia disappeared in the midst of war, on a mission entrusted to him by the king. Since then, a devastating plague has swept the land, leaving countless dead and the kingdom forever altered.<br><br>Having survived a rotting prison cell and a merciless illness, Cas, now eighteen, wants only to return to his home in the mountains and forget past horrors. But home is not what he remembers. His castle has become a refuge for the royal court. And they have brought their enemies with them.<br><br>When an assassin targets those closest to the queen, Cas is drawn into a search for a killer... one that leads him to form an unexpected bond with a brilliant young historian named Lena. Cas and Lena soo