Magpie has slaved in the gem mines of Valdemar for as long as he can remember. Overworked and underfed, he has nowhere else to go, until a stranger and two huge white horses force their way into the quarry, looking for him. An eternal outcast, Mags is stunned when he is chosen to be trained as a Herald at the newly founded Collegium in Valdemar's capital city, Haven. Loyal, noble and just, Heralds are called upon to deliver messages, gather information and dispense justice on behalf of the King.