A steampunk adventure set in another universe, wherein an assassin must ally with someone who hates him in order to rescue their loved ones.
Centuries ago, the technologically advanced clone race—the Sociotopians—made contact with the pre-industrial nations of the southern continent. Relations alternate, and the now industrialised continentals distrust the arrogant Sociotopians for the most part, although some of the clones have decided to exile themselves and have intermixed with the continentals.
Elliet Regan is the result of one such union. A palaeontologist, a cross-dresser, and an assassin working for his family’s organisation, he has more to worry about than the relations between his home and his father's people. Benevolent mercenary, Jared Simnel, seeks constantly to destroy him, while the jaded inspector Iobel Vindemar never stops looking for a way to make Elliet pay for his crimes.
But their grudges are put on hold when agents of unknown origin abduct every single Sociotopian and Sociotopian descended person in the mid-western part of the continent, Elliet’s siblings and two of Jared’s friends included. Elliet alone escapes, and with his friend Lizelba must ally with Jared and Vindemar to confront this mysterious threat and rescue their loved ones.
If Jared will let Elliet get that far, that is...