On the eve of the Rahesari Festival, Swutti Fenuku is found murdered and his heik'iir is missing. Seen as a bad omen, the Spire is placed into lockdown until answers can be found and the murderer brought to justice.

Swutti Madu - newly-promoted and eager to prove himself - is thrust into the heart of the investigation and quickly finds himself ankle deep in sinking sands and his training pushed to its limits. For it is not only rogue sorcerers walking the hallowed Glass Sands now, but strange specters have been seen haunting the ancient battlefield, and if Madu's dreams are to be believed, the gods walk those sands, too. 

With time running out and the pharasi fearing another mage uprising, Madu must learn to put his biases aside and learn from the past to protect the future. If he fails, the entire continent will become like the Glass Sands.