To protect his kingdom from Darken Rahl's D'Haran soldiers, a king asks the help of Shota, the witch woman. Her magic transforms him, nightly, into a vicious beast that slays the soldiers. But when the creature turns on his own people, The Seeker is called upon to stop the murders.

Darken Rahl takes an unlikely captive in a violent attempt to get his hands on the Three Boxes of Orden - the final keys he needs to unlock the power of total world domination. Meanwhile, time is running out for Kahlan and Zedd as they fall victim to a horrific plague unleashed by Rahl.