When the trade caravan Driwna Marghoster was hired to protect is attacked, she discovers a dead body hidden inside a barrel. Born of the powerful but elusive Oskoro people, the body is a rare and priceless find, the centre of a tragic tale and the key to a larger mystery... For when Driwna investigates who the body was meant for, she will find a trail of deceit and corruption which could bring down a kingdom, and an evil more powerful than she can imagine. From the author of the critically acclaimed Snakewood and The Winter Road comes a gritty and epic standalone adventure that's perfect for fans of Mark Lawrence, Joe Abercrombie and Andrzej Sapkowski's the Witcher.