After the defeat of Orannis, Lirael is now the Abhorsen-in-Waiting and bears the responsibility of protecting the kingdom from Free Magic forces and the Dead. However, her life is once again shaken when she finds Nicholas Sayre, who is severely injured and contaminated by the Chaos of Free Magic.
Meanwhile, a young messenger named Ferin travels through many dangers to deliver crucial information about a new threat looming over the Old Kingdom. Chlorr of the Mask is indeed preparing a devastating attack.
Lirael, Nicholas, and Ferin become bound to a single mission: to understand this threat and stop it. Their journey takes them between the world of the living and the Dead, where they must face powerful enemies, dark magical creatures, and ancient secrets