Down on her luck and desperate for a job, former housemaid Serryn Wren is offered the chance to improve her station and earn a living for herself and her brother—but this chance comes at a price. The condemned kingdom of Saghara, long abandoned after the demise of its last ruler, contains a prize that will grant any who find it dominion over the land. One person wants it more than anyone—and is willing to reward Serryn in her effort to find it, despite her lack of any skill in weaponry or martial arts. But Saghara is cursed, unforgiving, and Serryn soon realizes she's in over her head. Only when a mysterious stranger appears do her chances of surviving—and finding the prize—improve. But who is this stranger? Who is the employer willing to risk their fortune to secure the signet ring of Saghara's last king? And will Serryn survive long enough to find answers to these questions?