Serving a camp sentence for exceeding the limits of necessary self-defense, Viktor Rogov, a former officer, unexpectedly becomes the bearer of a secret related to the treasures of the Russian prince Svyatoslav. The key to unraveling the mystery of the ancient treasure is an icon taken by the prince from Constantinople and kept by one of Victor’s distant relatives. The situation is complicated by the fact that the search for the treasure was simultaneously undertaken by intelligence officers, crime bosses, and even the descendants of those Cumans who once treacherously attacked the Russian prince and took possession of Constantinople gifts. At first, “in the dark,” against his will, Viktor Rogov is drawn into cunning intrigues and other people’s bloody rivalries, and then becomes a conscious, independent player in this centuries-old game...