For seven years the Babylonian princess Tiamat has kept her family's secret, waiting for her father, the mad king Nebuchadnezzar, to return to his family and his kingdom. Married for treaty at fourteen and widowed at twenty-one, she revels in her newfound independence, determined to control her own destiny.
But when a nobleman is found dead in the palace, Tia must discover who is responsible for the murder, even if her own freedom is threatened.
Evidence points to the man-beast roaming the Gardens, and Tia fears the closely-guarded secret may soon be discovered.
But the lies have only begun to unravel, and as Tia uncovers one unspeakable truth after another, she finds that she is the centre of the intrigue, and her questions are a threat to her very life.
Madness, sorcery and sinister plots mingle like an alchemist's deadly potion, and Tia must dare to risk everything to save the kingdom and herself.