“‘Messenger of Zitól,’ he said in a booming voice, even though the girl was standing right in front of him. ‘Ask the gods to grant us another year of rain and sun for our crops. Beg them to protect our great city. Thank the gods for their preservation of our traditions and culture!’ The Messenger’s face was composed, but Rishi could see the violent trembling of her hands. Then drums began again, quiet and slow.”

When Rishi is kidnapped and taken to Zitól, she faces an unthinkable future: she is to be sacrificed to appease the gods. To survive in this place, where greed, lust, and fear eclipse compassion, Rishi befriends the selfish and ignorant king, only to discover that he may not have the power to save her after all. In this gripping romance of ancient America, Rishi will have to help the king learn about restraint and true love if she wants to stay safe and alive.