The people of Bakhtin firmly believe: as long as their goddess sits on the Scarlet Throne, the state will prosper. But the goddess never existed. Binsa — the reigning Rakhti of Bakhtin, the vessel of the goddess of wisdom Rashmatun — knows this like no one else. For ten years, Binsa has been forced to hide a ruthless demon within herself, for in her childhood, she learned from her mother one important lesson: the throne is the only thing that will save her from a hungry death.
Famine, drought, and rumors of goats falling from the sky — all indicate that the Prophecy of Girkhi is beginning to come true. The High Priest Harun and his successor Nudin are preparing to select a new Rakhti, and the throne for Binsa is rapidly transforming from a symbol of power into a death sentence. To lose it means to return to the terrifying world of solitude and poverty from which she so painstakingly escaped. But the longer her reign lasts, the more evident the truth becomes: the power that supports authority demands ever greater sacrifices — and may one day consume the Rakhti herself. To remain on the Scarlet Throne, Binsa is forced to strike a new deal with the demon. And the demon always demands a price, and this time he craves human blood.
