Martris Drayke, second son of the King of Margolan, watches his half-brother Jared and a blood mage slaughter the royal family and claim the throne. Fleeing with three loyal companions — a captain of the guard, a court bard, and a royal guard — Tris discovers he carries the power of a Summoner, an arbiter between the living and the dead inherited from his legendary grandmother. With the kingdom starving under Jared's brutal reign, Tris must master wild magic he barely understands.

Tris Drayke is an honorable, reluctant hero who never wanted the crown but rises to claim it for the good of his people. He is thoughtful, loyal, and fiercely protective of his found family — qualities that define his evolution from exile to king. His willingness to communicate with the dead grants him both extraordinary power and a profound empathy that shapes his rule.

Across four books, Tris grows from a half-trained fugitive into a necromancer king, defeating the usurper, freeing imprisoned spirits, and facing the existential threat of an ancient evil called the Obsidian King. The series weaves dual plotlines through Tris's political and magical challenges and the parallel story of Jonmarc Vahanian, a mercenary lord navigating vampire politics in the deadly realm of Dark Haven.