▁is ▁a ▁fant asy ▁novel ▁by ▁Pat ric ia ▁A . ▁McK ill ip , ▁a ▁sequ el ▁to ▁her ▁earlier ▁novel ▁The ▁Sor cer ess ▁and ▁the ▁C yg net . ▁Despite ▁a ▁mixed ▁reception , ▁it ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁M yth op oe ic ▁Fant asy ▁Award ▁for ▁Ad ult ▁Liter ature . ▁It ▁was ▁first ▁published ▁in ▁hard cover ▁by ▁A ce ▁Books ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁with ▁a ▁paper back ▁following ▁from ▁the ▁same ▁publish er ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁The ▁first ▁British ▁edition ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁paper back ▁by ▁Pan ▁Books ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁It ▁was ▁subsequently ▁combined ▁with ▁The ▁Sor cer ess ▁and ▁the ▁C yg net ▁into ▁the ▁om n ibus ▁collection ▁C yg net , ▁issued ▁in ▁trade ▁paper back ▁by ▁A ce ▁Books ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁It ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁translated ▁into ▁French . ▁ ▁Sum mary ▁Two ▁str angers ▁dis rupt ▁the ▁settled ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁Ro ▁Hold ing , ▁the ▁Hold ▁of ▁the ▁C yg net , ▁and ▁particularly ▁c ous ins , ▁Meg uet ▁Ver va ine , ▁war rior - ma id , ▁and ▁Ny x , ▁sor cer ess ▁and ▁daughter ▁of ▁the ▁H older ▁Lau ro ▁Ro . ▁ ▁Meg uet ▁stands ▁guard ▁outside ▁a ▁council ▁meeting ▁when ▁the ▁w ily , ▁powerful ▁m age ▁Rad ▁I lex ▁inv ades ▁the ▁chamber