Lords shouldn't do magic. They're not supposed to be scholars of any kind. But they don't usually investigate murders either...

Alyn knows her duties as a page - to serve her lord at dinner and attend him at Court functions. She hadn't realised that included murder investigations. She'd never even met Lord Miervaldis before they are both sent to Fifth Star Court, where one Lord Cassian is suspected of murder.

Upon arrival, Miervaldis begins his investigation and Alyn works hard in following up the leads available. But in the midst of the tangle of suspects and their motives, it becomes clear to her that there is far more going on behind the scenes. Lord Miervaldis has secrets of his own - he may not be the harmless eccentric she thought at first. Where should her loyalties lie? How exactly is the Sun Emperor involved? What is really going on?

Alyn will find her loyalty tested to the limit as Miervaldis' investigation turns up more trouble than he bargained for...