When Queen Inos was abducted through the magic casement and her friend, the stableboy Rap, tried to follow her, they arrived in places very strange--and very far apart . . .

Inos finds herself in the country of Zark, captured by a powerful sorceress who rules over the desert land with a brutal magic.

Meanwhile, Rap and his companions wind up in Faerie. Desperate to find Inos, he'll try anything, even though witches and warlocks abound--and trustworthy allies are hard to find. One, though, a sea captain, hires Rap as part of his crew, and they embark on a journey that could take him farther away from Inos--and deeper into a dangerous adventure . . .

"If it's traditional fantasy adventure with a bit of nudge-nudge wink-wink you're after, Dave Duncan is your go-to guy. "--SFReviews.net

"Duncan takes all the trusted fantasy ingredients, meticulously prepares them and brings them together with skill and relish. . . . The series bears resemblance to Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy." --Fantasy Book Review

"Duncan's unique concept of goblins, fauns, and imps adds a new twist to this imaginative fantasy adventure. Recommended." --Library Journal