Fitz, Prince Chivalry's illegitimate son raised by Burrich the stableman, is ignored by all the royalty except for King Shrewd, who has him tutored as an assassin because he has the magic Skill.
Fitz, crippled in his first mission as an assassin, intends to take refuge in a distant kingdom, but is drawn back to his home and the court of the Six Duchies when he learns the kingdom is under attack from outside enemies and inside traitors.
Fitz, a highly trained assassin, is believed by his enemies to be dead, but his tutor brings him back to life and he begins a journey to seek vengeance against a powerful rival.