Calushain. A grim, dirty city, with no opportunities for a young female thief, so it's no surprise Story wants to leave. Yet when she acquires the orison, an artifact with the power of dragon's blood, she has her chance to change the tide of the conflict engulfing their world. Queens, deposed heirs, sorcerers, assassins and even her own brother will all kill to possess the orison. Can Story survive long enough to write her own adventure? Desperate to pay off her debt, she searches for a score big enough to earn her freedom. Instead, she finds the orison, a magical artifact that could tip the balance of power between the city and the Empire seeking to conquer it. The power to change the world is now in the hands of a sneak thief - if it doesn't kill her first.