Following the events of An Earthly Crown, the jaran conquest of Rhui intensifies as rebel hearts simmer with conflicting loyalties.
Across Rhui, the jaran have been taking over towns and bending all non-jaran to the law of their rule. With Ilya Bakhtiian in charge, the nomadic fighters are now preparing an assault on the royal city of Karkand. But within the campaign, another struggle looms. Ilya's wife, Tess, is not from Rhui, but from Earth, and her brother, Charles, is a duke of the empire that includes Rhui, even though he once instigated a rebellion against it.
Still driven by thoughts of a human revolt, Charles travels to Rhui for key information about the past, hoping to bring back his sister—his only heir. Does she want to ively abide by either man's plan for her, though, and is any challenge to the ancient and mighty Chapalii realistic?