The Tritargon (The Emperor's Library: Book Two) - The Emperor's Library, #2

The Tritargon, Book Two of The Emperor's Library, follows the separate lives of the work's four main characters. Entering the enemy's camp to spread false information, Jon finds himself carried back to Kar and drawn deeply into the inner circle of The Chosen. Zoë, too, undertakes a second journey, when she joins the Emperor in his quest to recruit loyalists willing to fight for his cause. Klei's intimate relationship with one of the Rand-elusive remnants of an ancient race-takes him into their secret world of dream and fable, while Alf grapples with the challenges of building the Emperor's new capital-in-exile, which will become the center of resistance to The Chosen.
When these friends finally meet again, their long-awaited convergence brings both disaster and triumph. The Tritargon takes its name from an amulet that channels the ancient power of the Rand, a power not yet fully understood by those who wield it-even the Rand themselves. Like its predecessor, The Flight from Kar, the novel explores alternative sexualities and religious fundamentalism against a backdrop of intrigue and war, as rival forces struggle for power in the once-mighty Empire.