They are the malks, and their enemies triumph around them. Smeryghls, grindoks—people still thirst to take complete possession of Oglam. At the threshold of war. He is no longer the Кит—he is Gelien Malnsen, king of Malnborna, the heir to the very Manus. It seems now he has everything: his beloved Areya, the loyalty and respect of his subjects, secret knowledge, and new magic. His power and might are growing—but at what cost? Shadows of the past pursue the king in his dreams and in waking life. A dark essence that has been born inside him, a whisper in his head, strange thoughts overwhelming his mind. When the king of men, Finn Dearsen, disappears mysteriously, Gelien immediately sets out to find his friend. People drown in internecine strife and want to challenge the malks—but Gelien can’t fight the true enemy. He has one goal: to restore his ancestors’ legacy, but old friends turn out to be on the other side of the borders. Now Gelien can’t trust anyone—above all, himself.