As the daughter of an executed heretic, Eliza leads a simple enough life as a servant to the schoolgirls of which she was once a member. Her days may be idle and colourless, but she knows that she's lucky to be alive, with a roof over her head and food at her table. When Zia Vovronya, the only daughter of a wealthy Lord, arrives at the Centre, Eliza's world is set aflame. Her days, once grey and bleak, are filled with feeling; her thoughts, once hardened and bitter, are filled with passion. As Zia opens her eyes to the pleasures of life, the city of Vishna swarms with darkness. Something sinister is lurking behind the face of the Order, the religion which rules the kingdom with an iron thumb. They would rather a city burn than let their secrets free...