A rich and evocative tale set in a mythic 15th−century Britain‚ to rival the work of Bernard Cornwell. The Realm is poised for war. Hal‚ its weak king‚ is dominated by his wife and her lover. Against them stand Duke Richard of Ebor and his allies; the two sides are on a bloody collision course. Gwydion is watching over the Realm. Here when Arthur rode to war − they called him ′Merlyn′ then − he has walked the land since before the time of the druids‚ since before the Slavers came to subdue the people. The Realm is a still−magical England‚ its by−ways populated by legendary beasts. It is a land criss−crossed by lines of power upon which standing stones have been set as a secret protection against invasion. A thousand years ago‚ the Slavers broke the power of the array‚ laid straight roads across the land‚ and built walled cities of shattered stone. The dangerous stones are awakening‚ and their unruly influence is calling men to battle. Unless Gwydion and his apprentice‚ Willand‚ can unearth them‚ the Realm will be plunged into a disastrous civil war. But their enemies include men‚ monsters and a sorcerer who is as powerful as Gwydion himself.