When the deposed Grand Duke of Krupina arrived at Ironhall with a warrant from the King, even Grand Master considered his plight impossible. Not only had the Duke been deposed by the greatest warrior in all Eurania, he was being pursued by dread sorceries sent to kill him. The King's command was that Grand Master assign Blades to defend the refugee and help him win back his throne, but Ironhall had already been stripped of all qualified candidates. Prime, the most senior boy in the school, was a dullard swordsman, and an oaf. Second had promise but was much too young to endure the fearsome magic of binding. Bellman would have been an excellent choice, had he not been injured, so he would never fight well enough to become a Blade. All three were a year short of completing their training. But the King's word was law, and Grand Master must obey, even if he believed he was sending his young charges to certain disaster. And Grand Master did not even know the worst of it...