Set in the lands of the ancient Scythians, this second volume of the Lion of Scythia trilogy tumbles the reader into bloody warfare between the tribes. The chief of the tribe is dead, killed by his son's treachery; and the priestess, the lover of the young Macedonian cavalry officer, Nikometros, is carried off into the mountains. While the new chief strengthens his authority, Nikometros and his friends set off in pursuit of the priestess. Death rides with them and by the time they return, the tribes are at war. Battle follows battle as Nikometros and the friends and allies he has won among the tribes strive to overthrow the new chief. The lines between friend and enemy become blurred as Nikometros is faced with the choice of becoming chief himself or leaving the people he has come to love and respect, returning to his duty as an army officer.