The Siege of Macindaw

Keren has seized Macindaw and cut a deal with the Scotti: they raid the northern fiefs and he gets a share of the plunder. Will hires shipwrecked Skandians as mercenaries and, with Horace, captures the Scotti general MacHaddish. Held in the castle, Alyss resists Keren's hypnosis with help from a star stone Will sent her. Will builds a fake siege engine, Malcolm's lights draw the guards away, and he and Horace slip over the west wall. Keren hypnotizes Alyss and orders her to kill Will, but his confession of love breaks the trance. Alyss throws acid in Keren's face, and he falls from the tower to his death. Back in Seacliff, Will gets a letter from Alyss saying she loves him.

1. Behind the scenesShorter in the U.S.

   The Australian edition runs 371 pages; the 2009 U.S. edition, 324.

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2. ReferenceSkandians on Will's side

   To retake the castle, Will hires shipwrecked Skandians as mercenaries. An alliance that only makes sense after The Battle for Skandia.

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3. ReferenceThe star stone

   Will sends Alyss a star stone that helps her resist Keren's hypnosis. In the end, Will's confession of love breaks the trance.

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4. SetupThe next one goes back

   The next book, Erak's Ransom, came out after this one but is set before The Sorcerer of the North.

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