Dalchian Rassaq, the Skinner, former lord of the Blades of Atrocity, is broken and betrayed. He fell from grace at the height of his dark glory, and now his Night Lords are threatened with extinction at the hands of a despised rival. So-called allies and ruthless enemies circle him, and the few warriors who remain loyal are divided by open mistrust. Dalchian must outwit his rivals and regain control of his men, or risk being forgotten.

When word of a ghost ship reaches him, he sees an opportunity to reclaim what he has lost and strike back at those who have wronged him. With only a renegade Tech-Priest and the Night Lords' cruelty to rely on, his ordeal will be great. But the Skinner's will is far from weak, and his blades thirst.

Written by Mike Vincent.