Alexei accidentally finds someone who can show him the dark side of the magic life of the empire’s capital—the Mecca of thieves and smugglers, traders, and speculators. A magical black market. Only it isn’t that simple in this underground state, which is tightly controlled by the all-powerful Hand of the Guild of Wardens. But even here, Alexei won’t lose his nerve and will be able to prove his right to live and to choose his own path.