Nevare Burvelle, an innocent man framed and convicted of terrible crimes including murder, has escaped the frontier town of Gettys and the soldiers—his former brothers-in-arms—who sentenced him to a wrongful death. Despondent and with nowhere to turn, he reluctantly surrenders himself to the Speck magic with which he has been cursed. But the decision is not without consequence, for now Nevare is at the mercy of his violent Speck self: a powerful alter-ego who will stop at nothing to drive the enemy Gernians away from Speck territories—and use his warrior’s insight to plan a vicious and horrifying attack on those who would do him harm.

But events unravel in unexpected ways, and now Nevare must bring his warring sides together to find lasting peace for himself and both his peoples.