Privateer turned engineer. Alistar left his family's fleets to serve as an engineer for Silverline Power in the capital city of Lewarden, working with the magical network that feeds the city's industry and growth. As both a human and an outsider, he successfully avoids being drawn into the tangled chaos of elven-dominated court politics. However, when theft and sabotage in the depths of winter threaten to destroy Silverline and the web of magic that powers the city, risking not only his chosen work but also the lives of thousands, Alistar's neutrality earns him the politically delicate investigation into the source of the problem. His only ally is the elven thief Onyxflame, imprisoned for his own crimes against Silverline and conscripted with the promise of a pardon. They must form an uneasy partnership and navigate treacherous political waters to resolve the situation before unrest, rivalry, and distrust plunges the city into civil war.