By land and water shall it go home, and lie hidden in the floating stone until by fire it shall be raised again.

Arthur has raised the sword and claimed his birthright as High King of Briton, determined to unite the many tiny kingdoms that make up his country. Now he sits upon his throne at Camelot with Merlin by his side, his most trusted adviser.

But Merlin is growing old, and his sight is dimming. He knows that Mordred, child of Arthur's unknowing union with his half-sister Morgause, will be Arthur's downfall. But he cannot see the future clearly enough to know why, or how - or when.

And he's distracted: his gifted young apprentice, Niniane, is more than meets the eye. As Merlin teaches her to control her powers, he seems to lose his own.

Merlin has secured Arthur's place in history. Now he must take his own.

The Arthurian Saga, begun in The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment continues in The Wicked Day, the story of Arthur's last battle...