In the relentless heat of the desert, life can often be difficult and brief. Nestled among the rocks and barren plains, humans have created a grand society, ruled over by the royal family, humans supposedly touched by the divine. Until very recently, Ka was an ordinary scribe, scraping out a fairly nice living for him and his wife. Now he finds himself alone, a convicted murderer, and somehow the new interest of Prince Re. What does the royal have in mind for him? What right does he have to refuse? He expected death, he deserved it for his crimes . . . but things don't seem to be going that way.