The end is coming. Logen Ninefingers might only have one more fight in him ' but it's going to be a big one. Battle rages across the North the King of the Northmen still stands firm & there's only one man who can stop him. His oldest friend & his oldest enemy. It's past time for the Bloody-Nine to come home. With too many masters & too little time Superior Glokta is fighting a different kind of war. A secret struggle in which no-one is safe & no-one can be trusted. His days with a sword are far behind him. It's a good thing blackmail threats & torture still work well enough. Jezal dan Luthar has decided that winning glory is far too painful & turned his back on soldiering for a simple life with the woman he loves. But love can be painful too & glory has a nasty habit of creeping up on a man when he least expects it. While the King of the Union lies on his deathbead the peasants revolt & the nobles scramble to steal his crown. No-one believes that the shadow of war is falling across the very heart of the Union. The First of the Magi has a plan to save the world as he always does. But there are risks. There is no risk more terrible after all than to break the First Law.. .