At first glance, Meres' life seems perfect. She has a loving and devoted husband. A caring community. A "glamour" job as the only civilian allowed to work inside the temple of Isis, Our Lady of the Absolute. But there's one thing Meres doesn't have: a child. And being childless is enough to make any woman feel worthless in the White Walled City, the royal city of the Black Land, a modern-day society based on ancient Egypt.When Meres learns her beloved sister-in-law Pu is pregnant with a foreigner's child, everything changes. As a member of the Pharaoh's harem, Pu is bound by law to be faithful to him, but she's unintentionally broken that law and committed treason, a crime punishable by death. Now, only Meres and Pu know her secret. As a loyal citizen, Meres is bound by law to turn Pu over to the authorities. But how can she do that to someone who didn't mean to do anything wrong--especially someone she loves?Suddenly, the life Meres cherishes turns into a nightmare. Torn between love and envy, family and country, duty and faith, Meres risks rejecting the hard and fast rules of her religion in order to help the people she loves. She plunges into a dangerous journey that will lead her to uncover the truth about herself, her life, and the realization that nothing is absolute.