Eight months ago, while on duty as a forest protector, Yaetherim was sliced up and left for dead. Now another fairy has been murdered by the same Rychillans. Fed up with excuses from the humans, Yaetherim heads to the town of Alkentoft to seek those responsible himself.
Meanwhile, Arch-Mechanic Tenora Perskel has her own cause for concern. Steam engines have been around longer than she has and are well-understood. Yet several dangerous malfunctions, in vehicles around Alkentoft, have left her and other mechanics at a loss. Determined to prevent more accidents, she begins inquiries of her own.
Brought together by their investigations, Yaetherim and Tenora find themselves in a thicket of deceit. Cutting through it, they start to uncover the truth. But they soon learn that those they seek have everything to lose, and see murder as just another tool.