"In wine, there's truth. That's why they keep it locked in cellars." After they barely got away with their necks intact in A Bad Place to Be a Hero , unlikely friends Thessa and Corlis are each facing challenges of their own. While Thessa is having difficulty adjusting to life as a commoner in New Montres, Corlis receives astounding news: the family that had abandoned him when he was an infant is inviting him to an extravagant summer celebration in their home. Within days, the orphan turned innkeeper is whisked away to the idyllic countryside of Forterne province, with Thessa on his side to help him navigate the intricacies of high society. But just when everything looks almost too good to be true, another surprise guest turns up at the doorstep, whose intentions are nowhere close to cordial. Once again, Corlis and Thessa are sent down a twisted path of intrigue and deceit, relying on their wits and each other to keep them out of trouble─but is their friendship strong enough to withstand the allure of wealth?