The dragon Tintaglia released from her wizardwood coffin, flies high over the rain wild river. Below her Reyn and Selden have been left to drown while Malta and the satrap attempt to navigate the acid flow of the river in a decomposing boat. Althea and Brashen are finally at sea together, sailing the liveship paragon into private waters to rescue the vestrit family liveship, vivacia stolen by the private king Kenitt but there is mutiny brewing in their ragtag crew and in the mind of the map ship itself and all the while the waters around the vivacia are seething with giant serpants following the liveship as it sails to destiny.