Synopsis: The last royalist refuge - When the peasant rebellion, led by the Chamber of Statesmen, overthrew the royal line of Albin, only one haven remained to such loyal warriors as the king's military leader, Sir Andrew - the New World. This largely unexplored continent soon became the gathering place for all the malcontents, surviving Royalists, religious dissidents, and criminals, who otherwise might disrupt the peace of Albin. Yet while the colonists had expected to face the dangers of the wild, nothing had prepared them for the humanoid winged creatures - the Yerren - which flew the skies, attacking their struggling outposts seemingly without reason. Nor could they root out the spies within their own ranks who were ready to betray them to the Chamber of Statesmen. Still, Sir Andrew swore he'd provide a place of safety for the previous treasure he guarded - the last surviving member of the Royal line, the princess who now went by the name of Katin and masqueraded as a fledgling herbalist. But when word came of an invasion fleet setting forth from Albin, Sir Andrew knew he could not lead poorly trained and equipped farmers and tradesmen against two foes. He would have to put an end to the threat of the winged beings before the fleet's arrival - even if it meant risking his own life in the heart of Yerren territory... (from the back cover of the DAW Books first edition)