Sur Sceaf has endured the pit and the fires of torture. Beaten upon the anvils of the gods, he has emerged the tempered leader of the trek. His leadership is disputed by a band of pernicious religious zealots practicing their outdated and repressive priestcrafts. Sur Sceaf finds himself in the tenuous position of leaving the Quailor to solve their own problems or giving them a long overdue shove in the right direction by making interventions. Fromer and his self-righteous clan of dycons are determined to sabotage Sur Sceaf's success, even at the cost of many lives. Sur Sceaf is perpetually pitted against the will of these treacherous men, all the while he must lead an exodus and prepare for war. He has to walk the tight rope that spans the several cultures. Leaning too far to one side could see his alliance topple. Though the times are perilous, Sur Sceaf cannot ignore his feelings of love. The fiery spirited Sharaka, Taneshewa, is ever more taken by Sur Sceaf's bold advances. However, she is hard-pressed to overcome her prejudices toward his peculiar Herewardi traditions. Like strings on a lyre, tension tunes discord into harmony. The Herewardi, Quailor, and Sharaka are caught up together into the music of the Frightful Dance.