Elven thief Shadow, now Guildmistress, has just about whipped the Guild of Thieves into shape when a lethal plague arrives in Allanmere. Abruptly, chaos ensues and questions abound. Why are only the humans dying? Who is the mysterious six-fingered stranger found wandering in the woods? Can the elves of the Heartwood and the humans of Allanmere maintain the Compact that keeps them all safe? Off to find answers at a mysterious Temple in the sodden depths of the Dismal Reaches, will Shadow and Donya find themselves right in the midst of trouble? Bet on it!