National bestselling author Deborah Chester enraptured readers with her acclaimed fantasy trilogy--The Sword, The Ring, anThe Chalice--then took the saga to new heights with The Queen's Gambit, The Queen's Knight, and The King Betrayed. Now, evil strikes from the unlikeliest source amidst spells, intrigue--and heartless betrayal...

Twelve years ago, King Faldain and his beloved warrior-wife, the Queen Mexeika, rescued their two daughters, taken forcefully from the palace by the barbarian Grethori. Since then, Dain has waged brutal war against that tribe--seeking the Chieftain who killed their young son on that same terrible day,and the evil sorceress behind him...

Now, as circumstances bring the family back together,Alexeika dashes with her ddest daughter, Princess Tashalya, over her growing infatuation with the dark side of magic. And Dain--suffering from a powerful, life-threatening curse-struggles homeward to be saved by drinking from the Chalice of Life. But he is about to be betrayed by one closer than he could ever imagine...