Lily and Xander should never have met. She is the daughter of a peasant farmer living in the shadow of the ruined palace of Mycenae. He is heir to the mighty city of Carcemish, part of the ancient Hittite empire. But the empire is crumbling and Xander has lost his inheritance to an invading army. Lily knows Xander as a sailor, a pirate, an adventurer. She gives him her heart when she is fifteen and just coming into womanhood and great beauty. In return she receives a piece of amber; a mysterious red-gold stone that echoes the colour of her hair. From that day forward Lily and Xander share an enduring love as they struggle to survive in a world torn apart by warfare and bloodshed. Separated from Xander by treachery and betrayal, Lily clings to the hope that one day the piece of amber will draw them back together again.