Corber Port. Largest city in the Solarian Empire. Center of trade and industry. And a metropolis in trouble after an earthquake flattened a fifth of the city and set the rubble ablaze. Months later, the damage still has not been repaired. Citizens scrounge for food while gangs prowl the city searching for victims. Tia Samos, once a wealthy imperial citizen, is trapped in this urban nightmare, the captive of demons masquerading as men. She is a domestic drudge by day - but her nights are filled with horrendous visions. Sir Peter Cortez, Tia's former bodyguard, attends the School of Practical Law. He scours the city searching for her - but is stymied at every turn. Kyle, Tia's one-time carriage driver, studies magic and engineering at the Enchanted Quadrant. He searches for Tia with sorcery - but his spells keep failing. Rebecca, Tia's maid and personal minstrel, would dearly like to find her mistress - but she's been imprisoned. Her crime? Knowing too much. A renegade wizard goes to trial as anarchy grows in the streets while a sinister plot with catastrophic consequences unfolds. Can these four alleviate the impending apocalypse?