QuiTai, ruthless concubine of Levapur's mysterious crime lord, the Devil, receives an unexpected invitation to cocktails with disgraced Thampurian Kyam Zul. She doesn't trust Kyam enough to drink anything he pours, and won't help him no matter how hard he begs - or threatens. But when QuiTai's ex-lover is murdered, Kyam is the only one who knows the name of the killer, and he won't tell QuiTai unless she helps him first. The torpid back alleyways of Levapur's tropical colony hide more than lovers. There are things with claws, beings with venomous fangs, and spies lurking in the jungle. Most...

There's no rest for the wicked... especially the Devil. While QuiTai recovers from her last adventure, Levapur is turning into a police state. The Ponongese are pushed to the brink of rebellion against their colonial masters, the Thampurians - but who is behind it, and why? As the new Devil, QuiTai must wield her power and use her brilliant mind to outsmart her mysterious nemesis before a bloody uprising erupts.

When the body of Former Governor Turyat is discovered in the Red Happiness, QuiTai is the prime suspect. Surprisingly, she seems almost eager to be taken into custody. If Kyam Zul is to keep her neck out of the noose, he must solve the crime without her help - while matching wits with not only the real killer but his scheming grandfather, his political rivals, and his own wife.