Welcome to the Severed Empire. This is the story of Blodwyn long before he became the dynamic hero you first met in Wizard's Rise, Wizard's War, and the Queens of Osiris. Blodwyn wasn't always an assassin. In fact, when he was a boy... The King's Watch combed the lands in search of wizards, witches, and anyone practicing magic. When the Watch stormed Blodwyn's home it was Blodwyn's father they wanted. The self-taught alchemist was a law-breaker in the eyes of the king, and the penalty for his art was death. Bent on revenge, Blodwyn befriended Rasheed, a dangerous assassin. The plan was simple: Learn everything Rasheed could teach him, and then track down the knights of the Watch. The only problem with simple plans was that they rarely played out the way one expected. Before long, Blodwyn finds himself in the middle of more than he could have anticipated. The anger that once fueled his drive, and motivation was replaced with new feelings and strong friendships. When finally Blodwyn encounters the King's Watch, the young boy --the assassin-- has a difficult decision to make...