Rahimere's tomb: a House of Eternity whose owner had gone across the horizon into the Far West. Somewhere deep in the desert and rich with treasures of the ages, its location has long been kept a closely guarded secret. But now, the Sebaus - a sect which takes its name from demons - has plundered and pillaged the sepulchre for its most powerful secret.
This time the wrath of the fiery Pharaoh Queen Hatusu will know no bounds. She must fight to protect the tombs of her kin and tighten her grip on the collar of Egypt, in the midst of its most sweltering season. But then, when Egypt's great military hero, General Suten, is bitten to death by a swarm of venomous vipers, it appears events have spiralled out of her control.
Meanwhile, a dark shadow lies across the Temple of Isis. Renowned as an oasis of calm and healing, the peace has been disturbed. Four of the Hesets, the temple handmaids, have vanished without trace. Will Lord Amerotke, Pharaoh's Chief Judge, be able to unravel the mysteries before further violence erupts? Or will he find that the perpetrators are in league with forces beyond his jurisdiction?