AustLit

'Upon succeeding his father as Laird of Clan Murphy after his untimely death, seventeen-year-old Aodhan Murphy struggles with the mantle of leadership as well as balancing his responsibilities as a new husband to his childhood sweetheart, Bridget.

'A mysterious stranger gifts him with the golden sword of the long-dead Kings of Aronmore, and a vision urges him to enter the mysterious Síoraí Forest.

'Meanwhile, Nicholas Harrington, king of neighbouring Riohdan, is obsessed with bringing his wife back to life. He consults a shadowy group known as The Grey Walkers, and recruits brilliant young swordsman William Robinson Beckwith to venture into The Síoraí Forest to seek a magical entity that can make the resurrection possible.

'There, William encounters Aodhan who informs him that, while there are powers that can bring the dead back to life, the repercussions of such actions would be disastrous for the living.

'William struggles with this realization, torn between his moral conscience and his duty to his king.

'All the while, the enigmatic Lady Isabelle stands in the shadow of the king. Is she simply a faithful servant or something more?