Haegar Ruthborne is a Vruskman of the Winterwood, fiercely proud of the forest that has provided his family with shelter and sustenance for generations. But evil has awoken in its dark heart and a malevolent force is animating corpses with murderous intent. Forced to accept an unspeakable reality, Haegar reluctantly abandons his home. With his family and a small band of villagers, he heads westward to seek protection from the Old King. Their road leads to the turbulent Tagalfr, the River of Rushing Ice. The only way across is the Gated Bridge of Farrenhall, but its Lord, Kalivaz Varkoth, has sealed the gates and set the Myrmidons, a cadre of elite zealot-warriors, to guard them. Kasara, daughter of the Lord of the Bridge, is stunned and ashamed by her father's abandonment of his people. She vows to save them, no matter the cost.

With their escape route blocked, Haegar and the other Vruskmen are at the mercy of a menacing army of undead men and beasts. As night inexorably approaches, Kasara and Haegar make increasingly desperate plans. In a battle where death is not the end but a horrific beginning, they must cross the River of Rushing Ice or become forever enslaved by the darkness haunting the Winterwood.