When the desert colony of Khandar erupts in rebellion, things go from bad to worse for the Vordan troops occupying the city garrison. With their Colonel dead and their senior Captain Marcus d'Ivoire left in command, they fall back to await re-enforcements, and hopefully evacuation. Instead, the King of Vordan sends Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich to restore order on a mission seemingly doomed to failure.

Winter Ihernglass, disguising her gender to join the army, is hoping only to avoid notice.When she's promoted to command a company in Janus' army, however, she finds responsibilities that she cannot simply run away from.

Janus, however, is looking for something more than just a victory over local rebels and glory on his return to Vordan. He wants the keys to magic - the archive known as The Thousand Names - and will stop at nothing to get it...