Renef returns to Taur-Duat to answer for what happened in Lebaye. Without knowing it, he helps restore the missing fragment in the investigation. The entire Empire celebrates the Flood of the Great River. The annual holiday is a time of reconciliation, sometimes quite unexpected. But the Lord’s powers are fading, and this Spill may be his last. Aniret’s training is taking a new turn. Involved in court secrets, she notices more than others believe, and with the help of a close ally, she begins her own investigation. Meanwhile, a wave of terrible, inexplicable deaths sweeps through the ranks of the queen’s supporters...