This is the first volume in the Herald Spy series. It begins the autumn following the events of Bastion. Bear and Lena have left the traveling group and settled at the manor of Baron Burns, where Lena is his Court Bard and Bear is the local Healer. Amily has a newly awakened Gift, a Wild Talent related to Animal Mindspeech, that allows her to eavesdrop through the senses of animals a silent observer in the backs of their minds. The rest of the book is wrapped up in the Midwinter festivities and the feud between two of Valdemar's noble families, House Chendlar and House Raeylen.