The gold-mining village of Bir Umm Fawakhir in the desert east of Thebes lies silent, populated only by hundreds of corpses. The gold extracted during the mining season is gone, the strong-room empty. Caravans carrying the riches extracted from gem mines near Aswan are attacked and the guards massacred. Who is responsible, and why? Nikolas' friend Pamose is placed in charge of the investigation and entices Nikolas from his retirement at his country estate to assist. Murdered corpses accumulate as the perpetrators take vigorous action against the investigation.