Tristia is a nation overcome by intrigue and corruption. The idealistic young Ki
ng Paelis is dead and the Greatcoats - legendary travelling magistrates who brou
ght justice to the Kingdom - have been branded as traitors. But just before his
head was impaled on a spike, the King swore each of his hundred and forty-four G
reatcoats to a different mission.
Falcio Val Mond, First Cantor, with the hel
p of fellow Greatcoats Kest and Brasti, has completed his King's final task: he
has found his Charoites - well, one at least, and she was not quite what they ex
pected. Now they must protect the girl from the many who would see her dead, and
place her on the throne of a lawless kingdom. That would be simple enough, if i
t weren't for the Daishini, an equally legendary band of assassins, getting in t
heir way, not to forget the Dukes who are determined to hold on to their fractur
ed Kingdoms, or the fact that the heir to the throne is only thirteen years old.
