[2] Following the events in The Bone Doll's Twin, Prince Tobin awakens after the witch Lhel reveals that he was born as a girl, but in view of the king's purge of all possible female heirs that threaten him, Tobin was disguised by magic, wearing the shape of his stillborn brother, whose bones are encased in the little doll his mother carried everywhere with her.

After finding a distant relative to the Royal Family with a female baby, he promptly murdered and her husband - to raise himself the child, Nalia, with the intention of ultimately making her a Queen completely dependent on himself.

Moreover, though having an outwardly male body and genitals, Tobin begins to experience menstrual pains, and unlike the wild boys around him, feels no interest in sex with girls (some of whom are quite attracted to him).

Pregnant again, Aliya gives birth to a dead, hideously deformed child without face or legs, Niryn's work (which he quickly blames on the renegade wizards).

Having first used biological warfare, leaving mute children infected with pox along the Skalan coastline, thousands of Plenimaran troops land by night.

Aided by sinister Necromancers, they capture Skala's capital Ero which was weakened by rampant plague, and proceed to indiscriminately torture, enslave and massacre its population and burn down the entire city, making of it a wasteland.

Thereupon comes the moment for Tobin to enact the magic which would restore his/her true shape as a girl and the long-awaited Rightful Queen of Skala.

Tamír formally proclaims herself to the gathered wizards, priests and common people, who rejoice that the true Queen has returned - though the capital was totally devastated and very many died.

Nalia already is there, and the frightened girl is told that Korin is her new husband - Niryn planning to have her impregnated with a rival heir for the Skalan throne.