Esmikhan, the Sultan's daughter, has so far been unsuccessful in her attempts at bearing sons and becomes ensnared in a plot by Sofia, a former Venetian slave, despite the best efforts of another devoted slave to free her.

A Venetian noblewoman and an Italian sailor are captured by Turkish pirates and sold into slavery in the 16th century Ottoman Empire. "Chamberlin is the master of crafting exciting realistic historical fiction. This is a brilliant novel by a talented woman".--"Affaire de Coeur".