The novel takes place in the same world as “The Raven and the Bear” and “The Wolf and the Horse,” but in slightly different settings. The alternative history of this world, formed after the survival of pagan Thuringia, also influenced neighboring states. Including the Byzantine Empire, to the throne of which the young Emperor Michael ascends. From the very first days on the throne, he is faced with the machinations of internal and external enemies: courtiers weave intrigues, ready to enter into an agreement even with the Saracens, who threaten the empire from both the east and the west. Not all is well in the north, where the Avar kagan Ernak cherishes ambitious plans, relying both on the power of the nomadic hordes and on the witchcraft art of his witch wife, a priestess of a dark ancient cult. In search of new allies, Ernak sends an embassy to the east, where his own intrigues are woven and his own wars are brewing.