"King Athan has been happy in his little kingdom, a hundred leagues north and east of the great city-states of Athens and Sparta. It was true he had stolen the kingdom of Dassaria, but it was his now, and he meant to make it a good place to live for his subjects. Blessed with a magical amulet, he has stopped aging and so believes he has all the time in the world. Athan, however, is learning that being a king is a lot harder and much more dangerous than he ever imagined. He and his men must face challenges ranging from the mundane to the desperate. His little kingdom must fight to survive against foes near and far--in particular, the mighty Archimedean Empire, who are out to conquer whole region. Turning back the forces of the empire is just one of King Athan's problems. Dassaria is once again threatened by an upstart would-be tyrant, and the king must mobilize his small army and find a way to eliminate this menace. Meanwhile, Athan finds love--and soon discovers the downside of his agelessness. In this fantasy novel, the third in a series, an ageless king faces threats to his kingdom, discovers true love, and learns that change is inevitable, even for the seemingly immortal."