At the center of Byzantine society, young Anna Dalassena lives with her grandparents among the most powerful men and women in Constantinople until the cutthroat politics of the Great Palace sends the family into exile. Her bleak situation turns promising after meeting the handsome young soldier, John Comnenus, and his brother Isaac, before they can return to Constantinople.
The vicious power struggles, uprisings, and betrayals at the highest levels of the empire push Anna and John to its center as they struggle to deal with their own tragedies. When rebellion puts her life and those of everyone Anna loves at risk, is the reward - a throne for her family and vengeance for a terrible death - too big a gamble?