In a world rooted in Mediterranean history and mythology,
armies clash, magicks compete, and the gods set their
pawns onto the gameboard. The emperor Andrion thinks his
empire is secure. But no. He has no heir from an arranged
marriage, and mysterious figures are turning his allies
against him. He must set aside his crown and travel to the
island of Minras, where young men and women are sacrificed
in the bull-dance. There Andrion and his companions face a
demon-possessed queen, his own precocious nephew, and two
gods who are dueling to the death and destruction of all.