During the regency debate, a group called the Fraternity of Blood attacks the Dragonlords. They are trying to learn how to kill all the Dragonlords and let the Truehumans rule. Linden meets one of the members of the group named Sherrine Coltrane. She seduces him into being her lover in order to learn things about the Dragonlords. She falls in love with Linden and attacks his soultwin Maurynna. The attack makes Linden leave her and she poisons him with a farewell chalice.