Dark guards burst out of the Lower Tartar—ones who rout even the very best and bravest of the dark. They are immortal, dangerous, and cruel. Only bright magic terrifies them, but Dafna unexpectedly becomes an ordinary teenager; Essiorh himself turns out to be a victim; Irka faces a choice between her principles and the chance to end up back in an invalid’s wheelchair; and the other Valkyries don’t even want to think about helping the dark. A hard battle is coming—only the darkness, in the person of Ligul, is by no means on Mephodiy Buslaev’s side.