Book two in the prequel series to Ranger's Apprentice. When the former Baron Morgarath escaped to avoid punishment for treason, an uneasy peace fell on Araluen. But Morgarath, now in hiding, is already planning his next move, recruiting an army of savage, overpowering beasts known as Wargals. Newly crowned King Duncan knows he must assemble his troops for battle.

"When Starflight is stolen by his own tribe, he hopes to at least discover some of the long-held NightWing secrets -- what magical powers they really have, who they're allied with in the war, and where they've been living all this time. But the truth about Starflight's tribe is more terrible than he ever imagined: Not only do the NightWings live in a dark, miserable place, but they've imprisoned several innocent RainWings there, too. Stranded and...

Enduring an isolated existence in hardscrabble Addis Prime, a star underground augmented reality gamer finds his small family targeted by city-razing monsters waging a galaxy-spanning war.