Phedre no Delaunay has survived much in her short life; she is an anguissette, a courtly spy, and the keeper of a nation's secrets. She has saved a kingdom, kept her people from a barbaric invasion, and thwarted Melisandre Shahrizai, a ruthless, Machiavellian villainess. But Phedre's gods are not yet finished with her, for while the young queen is well loved by the people, there are factions that believe other heads should wear the crown. Melisandre was able to escape the royal guard, and is not done scheming for power and revenge. To save all she holds dear, Phedre will travel from the sun-drenched villas of La Serenissima to the wilds of old Hellas, and will discover a conspiracy dreadful enough to make the earth tremble...