The living planarship Ways and Means has ended the Black Death ravaging medieval Europe, but it has bigger plans for Earth. Someone is trying to kill former Unity agent Osia. Spy-turned-anthropologist Meloku becomes a target, too, when she catches the planarship hiding the extent of its meddling.

While they fight to survive, Fiametta - Italian soldier, mercenary, and heretical preacher - raises an army and a religious revolt, aiming to split her world in half.