Pursued by soldiers of D'Haran, Kahlan Amnell crosses a magical boundary to locate the Seeker -- a warrior prophesied to kill the evil tyrant Darken Rahl and save the Midlands.
Richard Cypher, the son of a woodcutter, embraces his destiny as the Seeker and must recover the Book of Counted Shadows from Rahl's trusted General -- and defend his home from an invasion.
When Darken Rahl puts a bounty on the Seeker's head, a magical map-maker sells a map that can trace his precise whereabouts to anyone looking to cash in.
Richard returns to the village where he was born, and meets a woman who claims to be his mother. But when his presence is exposed, D'Haran soldiers threaten the town if he is not handed over.
Kahlan and Richard rescue a young boy with the power to know a person's secrets by looking into his eyes, and must keep him from using his ability for the enemy's evil purposes.
After Richard ignores a warning from a witch who has foreseen his death, she casts a spell that switches his identity with a reluctant groom on the eve of his wedding.
Richard is tortured by a Mord'Sith, who attempts to turn him to the service of Darken Rahl. Meanwhile, Kahlan seeks a new Confessor to replace her at Richard's side.
Kahlan goes undercover as a Mord'Sith to rescue her sister from a D'Haran prison. But when her sister gives birth, Richard defies the Confessor tradition of killing their male children.
Richard, Kahlan and Zedd enter the crypt of the last Seeker, Kieran, and learn that the tales told of him are far from the truth when his spirit takes over Richard's body.
Richard and Kahlan attempt to rescue Chase's family from a fortified keep, only to learn that Darken Rahl himself is arriving soon to check on his evil wizard's experiments in creating a Confessor.
The Seeker is called to the aid of a neighboring kingdom, where a curse turns the king into a terrifying creature in order to keep Darken Rahl's armies at bay.
Having learned that a copy of the Book of Counted Shadows exists, Richard and the others must beat Rahl's forces to a renowned library -- where a painter hides them by literally painting them into his work.
Zedd risks his life to stave off a magical plague, while Richard tries to find the last Boxes of Orden. Darken Rahl convinces an amnesiac Jennsen to work for him.
Richard's plan to use the Magic of Orden goes awry, sending him and a Mord'Sith 58 years into the future. With no hope for defeating Darken Rahl, Kahlan makes a fateful decision to try and get a message to the Seeker.