Once the Fikingur sea-raiders of Haskilde were the most feared warriors on the continent. Now they are confined to a tiny duchy, ruled by a dying man whose heir is a depraved teenager. Lothar von Schnusenberg has arrived in Haskilde to spy for the Empire, but his plans are overturned when he becomes the prime suspect in a grisly poisoning. Can he trust the enigmatic Asta and her prickly friend Edda, or are they luring him to disaster? Lothar’s old school-friend Torkild is working on a revolutionary experimental steamship which could restore the former glories of the Haskilde navy. As he fights scepticism from his superiors, and deadly accidents at sea, will his new ship shift the balance of power? As the bodies pile up in the royal court, Lothar’s list of enemies continues to grow. The Fikingur ready themselves for one last sea battle, and Lothar must choose between his duty to the Empire and the new friends he has made in Haskilde.