Always remember that the wicked never rests... With one woman safe, Sam Abrams returns to find archeologist Annalynn Gallagher gone. Who has taken her is unclear yet Sam is certain of her ultimate destination: into the possession of a would-be messenger of the gods. ...so don't let down your guard. When Anna had left her dig site, she had left Zaharrah Lynch in charge. The site has become more dangerous, and, worse, the security is becoming lax. Zaharrah, with her sleep haunted by malevolent darkness, knows she can't stay much longer - no matter that her sibling and cohort hasn't completed his task at the dig. Death waits for everyone... Zaharrah will wait as long as she can for her brother, but her window of escape is closing fast. Yet leaving will take her deep into the heart of the Jordan desert, to a place she sees in her dreams - and a deity who would claim the world as his own. ...no matter how far you run. As the hunt for the remaining mantles draws to a close, Sam, Zaharrah, and the others must prepare for a battle that will reveal the hidden, ancient truths - and have unforeseen consequences for one of their number. Victory or defeat, each will exact its price.