Synopsis
When a young historian-to-be named Rutha Gardelle is granted access to the fabled “Chronicle,” the major resource for the entire realm’s history, she is surprised to find, instead of a series of books, a man. The Chronicle lives forever and remembers everything, but is being held in a special section of the King’s dungeon against his will. At the urging of one of his young descendants, a girl named Amala, she convinces the monarchs to release him from the cell to be held instead in a larger area: the castle itself. With his release, she decides to take on a new project: writing the history of the Chronicle.
She learns his true name, Farran Delier, and tries her best to drag his story from him. Of the six centuries Farran's been alive, very little is known about his life. During this time, Farran isassigned a member of the Royal Guard, Tyrn Radash, to watch his movements and keep him from attempting escape. Farran has no interest in Rutha's project and instead of helping her, becomes increasingly reckless. There is no fear of him killing himself, seeing as he cannot die, but Tyrn, who has become attached to Farran as a human being, worries about the psychological implications of Farran's actions. Rutha herself is more worried about the fact that Amala has been requesting private audiences with Farran, and knowing that the girl has a certain way with words, fears that she will take Rutha's project for her own.
When the Chronicle disappears along with Amala and her father, Rutha and Tyrn must work together to try to find him and regain the honor they lost when he escaped. What they do not know is that Amala, is manipulating him and others to gather the rest of his descendants, all of whom have special gifts. They are being trained to take the empire and rebuild it in the Amala's worldview.
