Cold Fire - the Banished Isle Quartet, #1

"The stone for his life. It's your choice." When the king of Iverastra is taken for ransom at the hands of the great wizard Melorvine, self-proclaimed ruler of all Khandren, his subjects are forced to give up the very artifact he has fought to protect: the Togan Eye stone. Daerem is a man of few friends, fewer words, and many secrets. But he is also the sworn protector of His Majesty and fiercely loyal.
With his lord's life suddenly hanging in the balance, he sets off in pursuit of the two men sent out to make the ransom exchange. But there's more going on than the acquisition of a dusty old relic. The wizard strikes again, swift and deadly. Chaos erupts. New orders are given. Daerem must work with his two unwanted companions to uncover the truth behind the wizard's actions and quickly. But trust is stretched to the breaking point.
Daerem is not the only one in his party with a shadowed past.  Can they really hope to upset the wizard's schemes, a plan that has been simmering longer than anyone realized? Or will their own secrets destroy each other first?