The gold-mining village of Bir Umm Fawakhir in the desert east of Thebes lies silent, populated only by hundreds of corpses. The gold extracted during the mining season is gone, the strong-room empty. Caravans carrying the riches extracted from gem mines near Aswan are attacked and the guards massacred. Who is responsible, and why? Nikolas' friend Pamose is placed in charge of the investigation and entices Nikolas from his retirement at his country estate to assist. Murdered corpses accumulate as the perpetrators take vigorous action against the investigation.

Having taken part in the invasion of England, and later suffering serious injury in battle, Sir Alan of Thorrington is asked to use his wits to assist King William in the political and judicial arenas, and to use his specialist knowledge as a siege engineer. Dispatched to the Welsh Marches, Alan negotiates the surrender of Eadric 'The Wild', before again acting as a spy in the North of England. Journeying with the embassage to the king of Scotland, when one of the embassage is foully murdered Alan takes the leading hand in the investigation. Shipwreck, murder, intrigue and bloody battles,...