Prince Ikan is Heir Apparent Prince of the Kingdom of Iluji where an ancient spell cast a mighty cloud to hover in the sky of the Kingdom so that the sun does not shine on the land. To make the spell of darkness go away, kings traditionally offer slave girls in a ‘grand sacrifice’ to the gods of the land, but none had ever been successful.
By the bank of the river called the King’s Flow, Ikan meets Sarie, a slave girl on the verge of committing a grave offence but could not resist her charm and begins to nurse the idea of a secret affair. Any romantic relationship between a slave girl and a freeborn is a taboo punished by hanging the slave girl. The Prince and the slave would hope the darkness will hide them while he swears to protect her with his life.

When a prophecy comes from the priests that Ikan will be the prince to bring sunlight to Iluji, he finds himself in a deathly dilemma. He must sacrifice Sarie to the gods and accomplish the highest glory or see the darkness continue forever and the dynasty’s collapse.