Khul, a proud City founded by runaway slaves, is invaded by a powerful empire.The king is slain, resistance brutally suppressed and the king's son disappears without trace. Thirteen year-old Watt is a Baker's apprentice - or is he? Overlooked and forgotten,his only ambition is to survive. But his sister, hidden in the tangle of secret staircases deep within the castle, is planning to escape. His decision to help her will change Khul's destiny . and his own.