Pierce, Tamora

While in the mystical realms of the gods along with Numair, Daine learns the secrets of her past and the implications for her future as she and Numair are compelled to return to the mortal world of Tortall to help fight against the immortals.

When she is sent as part of the delegation from Tortall to negotiate a peace treaty with Carthak, fifteen-year-old Daine must use her powers to communicate with animals for more than healing the Carthak emperor's dying birds.

Keladry of Mindelan continues her training to become a squire with the aid of a new maid, the support of her friends, interference from some other pages, and some serious, even dangerous opposition.

The mage Numair, the knight Alanna, and Queen Thayet enlist thirteen-year-old Daine's help to battle the immortal creatures that have begun to attack the kingdom.

After Daine and her mentor, Numair, learn the truth about Daine's past in the Divine Realms, the pair embarks on a dangerous, homeward-bound journey toward Tortall, in which they must face dragons and their great enemy, Ozorne.

On her first tour as a knight errant, Alanna assumes a position of influence with a fierce desert tribe, makes some changes in the role of women in the society, and continues her own emotional development. "Let her prove herself worthy as a man." Newly knighted, Alanna of Trebond seeks adventure in the vast desert of Tortall. Captured by fierce desert dwellers, she is forced to prove herself in a duel to the death -- either she will be killed or she will be inducted into the tribe. Although she triumphs, dire challenges lie ahead. As her mythic fate would have it, Alanna soon becomes the tribe's first female shaman -- despite the desert dwellers' grave fear of the foreign woman warrior. Alanna must fight to change the ancient tribal customs of the desert tribes -- for their sake and for the sake of all Tortall. Alanna's journey continues.

When she is sent as part of the delegation from Tortall to negotiate a peace treaty with Carthak, fifteen-year-old Daine must use her powers to communicate with animals for more than healing the Carthak emperor's dying birds.

When the king passes a decree that allows women to train for knighthood, Keladry of Mindelan is the first to take up the challenge, and vows to succeed despite the efforts of her fellow pages and training master to ruin her chances.