Lord Gnarl receives information that might lead him to find the man who assassinated his Grandfather, the Lord Genet. He determines to track the alleged assassin down and bring him to justice. Adricart, the palace portrait painter, and Kyler the palace baker, are recruited to help. So, begins a series of journeys, both by land and sea, across half the known world from Lord Gnarl's City State in the north to King Francis's Great Ocean City in the west. On his journey, Kyler only survives with the miraculous intervention of Faustine of the Woodland.

The search for the murderer sees Lord Gnarl using a false name when he unexpectedly encounters Princess Jolie, the only daughter of King Francis. Princess Jolie determines to run away from an arranged marriage her father has negotiated, and she plucks a stable boy, Shay, from obscurity to be her squire and guide her on a dangerous journey.

There is an audacious plan to bring the assassin back to Lord Gnarl's own City State for a trial. However, there are conflicting issues that the young Lord struggles to resolve. Shay proves to be wise beyond his years, as he deals with Atayla, a crucial player in a complex puzzle. As always, Lord Gnarl turns to his foster parents, Cuanzo and Shiedel, for advice. Misleading identities simply complicate matters.

All seems resolved in a series of wedding ceremonies. However, a strange pre-nuptial agreement and an unexpected wedding guest set the scene for an unravelling of the peace. Circumstances change and events conspire to shatter relationships and destroy lives.