Jeda is being forced to participate in the annual 'Scrarth and Avangar' contest of up and coming young women of the empire to determine who will rise to rule in ruthless power over the a segment of the empire. Meanwhile Carnalia's war rages on against the nation of Ecclessa; fortresses are burned, Ecclessites are hunted down like animals and forced to go into hiding. Bonu, jeda's sweetheart, with the aid of a recently recruited Carnalian who changed allegiances to become a kingsman, sets out to