A century after his recovery of the alien Necroteuch, Gregor Eisenhorn is one of the Imperial Inquisition's most celebrated agents. But when a face from his past returns to haunt him, and he is implicated in a great tragedy that devastates the world of Thracian Primaris, Eisenhorn's universe crumbles around him. The daemon Cherubael is back, and seeks to bring the inquisitor to ruin - either by his death, or by turning him to the service of the Dark Gods.

The Space Marines of the Dark Hunters, descendants of the White Scars and their savage primarch Jaghatai Khan, are called to battle on the world of Ras Hanem, a world they thought long since liberated from the grip of heresy and returned to Imperial rule. Many years ago, the Dark Hunters defeated the traitor warband known as the Punishers on that world, in a conflict that left deep wounds in the Chapter. But now the Punishers have returned, seeking vengeance upon their would-be destroyers. Captain Jonah Kerne of Mortai Company is sent to annihilate the traitors once for all, but the cost of victory may be too high for him to bear!