For three thousand years, the dark servants of the Lord of Night have waged war against the monstrous armies of the Unmaker. An ancient prophecy gives them hope of eventual victory, but the Unmaker will stop at nothing to ensure the prophecy never comes to pass. Cursed with the rare gift of foresight, High Priest S'Rak is duty bound to defend and preserve the Victory Prophecy by any means necessary-and at any cost. The crown prince of distant Koilatha proves to be a key player in the thousand year old Prophecy, and S'Rak is sent there as an envoy, a cover for his real mission-to keep Prince Jethain alive. S'Rak finds that allies are far and few between in a land where the Sun God is preeminent, a land where he is considered evil for following the night, a land where slavery is legal and submissives are collared. His own distant past, long since buried, comes back to haunt him, threatening to undo all he has accomplished. With sun priests and palace functionaries both blackmailing him, his odds of keeping the Prince alive plummet with each passing day. In the face of personal indignities far worse than those inflicted by mere battle, S'Rak must remain strong, or all will be lost. He finds some of the support he needs in the Captain of the Palace Guard, but Jisten is not only a virgin, he is under vows of purity. S'Rak's attraction to the handsome Valer only adds to his troubles, giving his enemies yet more power over him. With the hand of every man, and the hand of a Goddess, against him, what hope has a high priest of the night against the pitiless light of day?