A young thief, caught between the rightful regent and the lord of the underworld. Fantasy novel with a touch of mafia and mystery. The city state of Istonnia is suffering, its people cowering under the thumb of a despotic ruler. Nivvo is a young thief, not interested in anything except keeping himself and his sister alive. That changes when he accidentally overhears a conversation. Now Nivvo finds himself up to his neck in trouble. He has only one night to find the rightful heir. He has to smuggle him out of the city before the tyrant and his black-clad soldiers kill them both. And he has to avoid the crime lord's watchful eyes, for if Vicco Cambrosi catches them, they might be better off dead...