A boy finds a dark idol and offers it blood in return for power, becoming a master of illusion. A slave girl falls in love with one of the evil sorcerer's thralls, a man who casts no shadow. A sorceress who lives in the mountains above her village trains her in return for blood, and Shaina leaves her body to follow her love. She comes into conflict with the sorcerer and love and hate battle it out. Volkhavaar gains a lot of power and kills a lot of people, this is a typically dark Lee novel. I liked how she resolved things in the end, Shaina is a strong heroine. The milk sop princess that the sorcerer controls is a good foil for her. ( )