“A Valkyrie cannot love. A Valkyrie must accept the challenge, no matter who throws it. No one who has met a Valkyrie before will ever know her. Otherwise the secret will protect itself—and anyone who hears it will die. The disobedient Valkyrie will face the Twelve’s judgment.” Such is the unbreakable law. After killing, in a duel, a midnight witch, Irka challenges the darkness. It is exactly Mephodiy Buslaev who must destroy the lone Valkyrie. The spear of the Valkyrie and Drevinir’s changed-the-light sword will clash in battle—only one of them will come out alive. Irka understands that Mephodiy will never recognize her in her new form. And no matter how well he masters the sword, he’s vulnerable. For her victory requires only that she simply name her name—and then an old curse will be fulfilled.