There are two of them: a warrior and a master of the blade—Danil, of noble blood—and the young helmsman Ruj. The ship they sailed on was burned. From their homeland they are separated by the Interrealm Sea, and from the nearest friendly power by a thousand miles across a land where any identified foreigner awaits a torturous execution. There is no choice—so two friends step onto this path without knowing that they’ve become part of a conspiracy whose goal is to kill the emperor of their native country and seize power across three continents.