The fourth book in the series Tales of the Triad. Lyra is the story of a young Elf learning who and what she is through love and war, set against the background of life in the Triad Kingdom. Most of the Elves in the Triad are High Elves, dark, serious and somewhat bloodthirsty. Lyra, a small, constantly giggling young Elf, loves bright colors, butterflies and dancing in the meadows. She is not well accepted by Elf society until she takes her turn in the field work of the Triad. Her work party is attacked by Goblins and Lyra is taken captive. Escaping, she must find her way home through the great marsh, surrounded by enemies, searched for by friends and finally discovered by the great cats. The enemy doesn't stop with the great marsh and Lyra finds herself in the center of a war between the Triad and an unknown enemy, one with magic and technology to match their own. Along her journey Lyra discovers that she is not so strange after all, not for a wood Elf.