Lord of Emperors

In the opulent and treacherous heart of Sarantium, the magnificent, alternate-Byzantine city, the fates of a renowned mosaicist and a desert physician become inextricably intertwined with the machinations of empire. Crispin, having completed his awe-inspiring work on the Emperor's sanctuary, finds his artistic triumph overshadowed by the escalating political intrigue and whispers of war that ripple through the gilded halls and shadowed streets. His loyalty to the Emperor Valerius is tested as the monarch plots a grand conquest to reclaim ancient territories, threatening Crispin’s homeland and forcing him to confront the high cost of his entangled destiny. Simultaneously, Rustem of Kerakek, a physician from the eastern deserts, navigates Sarantium's perilous currents, seeking his own purpose amidst the city's shifting alliances, ancient magic, and fervent passions. As otherworldly fires flicker and vanish in the night and conspiracies deepen, both men must contend with the dangerous currents that define this dazzling, volatile world, where art, power, and destiny collide.