Evil Queen Milena is in possession of the third and final Box of Orden. To prevent the box from falling into the hands of Darken Rahl and giving him the ultimate power he so desperately craves, Zedd disguises himself as an entertainer in order to infiltrate Milena's castle. With the help of a little slave girl named Rachel, Zedd plots to replace the coveted box with a fake. Meanwhile, Richard and Kahlan learn that Darken Rahl intends to personally retrieve the Box of Orden from the Queen.

Zedd seeks out a relative in his quest to secure a safe hiding place for the Box of Orden while Richard and Kahlan investigate a series of murders among members of the resistance. Believing she has caused an innocent man to be executed, Kahlan begins to doubt her ability as a Confessor.