High Magus Sassan and his army appear outside a sand-filled and crumbling Baka. If she's going to help the djinn and daevas ready the city for war, Roshan must put aside her desire to take the fight to the high magus. Doing so, however, will leave her weak and vulnerable.
Meanwhile, worried about Yesfir, Behrouz and Zana are desperate to rescue her. When ordered to remain in Baka, Zana goes in search of the Cross Scar manticores for help.
As guardsmen and golems begin their attack on Baka, Roshan must make an impossible choice that will either save the djinn and daevas or doom Baka and its inhabitants to unending slavery.