Lathel, youngest son of the powerful, Celtic iron-age Ennistur clan, was never trained to be a warrior. Desperate to impress his father, he struggles against the stigma of being rejected from Druid training for the curse of carrying “Sidhe blood”.

On the night of Beltane, the hillfort is attacked by the forces of the Northern King Curros. Lathel uses his newly re-emerged Sidhe powers to banish the terror-clouds of the fearsome half-Sidhe Jalkor, saving his father and hundreds of others. All Lathel’s brothers are killed.

Despite Lathel’s quick thinking, the indifference shown by his father toward him only deepens. Lathel confronts his father. Enraged, Kassnor reveals that his own mother, Elseneave, was driven insane by Sidhe magic and he disowns Lathel.

Curros is aided by Golsheth, a Dark Sidhe who has been the magical force behind his years of northern victories. Kassnor stubbornly refuses to accept magic, yet powerful magic is needed to save the West.

Lathel is sent as an emissary to the Sidhe Realm -- along with the cursed slave Valernis and the Sidhe Carathnie. He must journey deep into the Shide realm to unlock the key to ancient magic, and return to the Old Tower in time to join the final battle between the forces of the West - led by his father - and King Curros.