Having found acceptance with Nahtan's brother Garren, Mehlis sets off for a new life at Theryl Hold, not realizing the path she's just begun. Her marriage to Garren will allow her and Xia to continue their relationship, and while she believes she's now found her place, she has no idea how important this new hold is to the goddess Halona.The minstrel Tabari has continued to tell the stories of old Theryl Hold before it's fall, telling people of its history and those who used to live there, including the story of how it's fabled gardens came to be. What he doesn't know is the gardens grow again, this time under the watch of the Wardsman himself. While with the thief Korrie and telling Theryl's stories, Tabari is given one last task from Halona: to travel to Theryl Hold and tell one last tale, the story of The Lost Fate. His story will bring Mehlis to the full understanding of her place, both in the world and at Garren's side, as well as a glimpse of the future of Theryl Hold, built upon its own lost history and the importance of a single person in the eyes of the gods.