"After 16 years, Jones concludes her Dalemark Quartet....Fifteen-year-old Mitt finds the North nearly as dangerous as the South, which he fled after being charged with murder. Now his benefactress wants him to assassinate Noreth, a young woman determined to claim the crown of Dalemark and reunite the country; but instead, Mitt befriends Noreth and joins her supporters....Treachery, mystery, humor, and magic abound in this intriguing, well-crafted fantasy."--Booklist.