Six months after the end of Wintersong Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother's & her own musical careers Although she is determined to look forward & not behind life in the world above is not as easy as Liesl had hoped Her younger brother Josef is cold distant & withdrawn while Liesl can't forget the austere young man she left beneath the earth & the music he inspired in her When troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life death & the Goblin King-who he was who he is & who he will be What will it take to break the old laws once & for all? What is the true meaning of sacrifice when the fate of the world-or the ones Liesl loves-is in her hands?