Avala's father, Gabriel (the hero of Secret Sacrament), was the great Deliverer, the giver of freedom, the hero who began the prophesied Time of the Eagle. However, this freedom has not been easy, and the Shinali tribe have found the nomadic way of life very hard. Many times they have accidentally trespassed on the lands of the Igaal or the Hena, their former enemies, and have been driven violently away, making unification seem a long way off. Avala's relationship with a wonded Igaal hunter leads to her acceptance within the Igaal tribe, where her healing gifts and visions make her indispensable. But simply helping one injured Igaal hunter is not enough to meld the two peoples. And in her absence from her own people, a rival priest has arisen, claiming that the Time of the Eagle has come and that they must fight rather than unify with the Igaal. Can Avala reverse her tribe's decision, and finally make peace between the nations?