After shaking hands with a man with a red hand, Xemion and Saheni must flee their forest home and cross dangerous lands haunted by creatures caught in the forces of conflicting spells, while being pursued by a traitorous Examiner. They head for the city of Ulde, where a rebellion is brewing against the ruthless rulers of Phaer Isle, the Pathans.

Robert Priest has written plays, songs, picture books, and poetry for young readers. His critically acclaimed fantasy novel Knights of the Endless Day was compared to the Narnia Chronicles. The first two novels in the Spell Crossed series are The Paper Sword and Second Kiss. He lives in Toronto.