In an alternate universe, Reece Myers finds himself in the small Ethiopian village of Gwar, working with an Icelandic medical team and his interpreter Afewerki. The place seems familiar, as he conducts a health survey for his master's degree. Nurses Svana and Eydis, tasked with weighing local children, are a handful, drinking with the men and raising eyebrows. Their boss, Dr. Thorsonn, tries to keep order, but the village administrator, known as the Snake, challenges his work at every step. Thorsonn, fascinated with the Ark of the Covenant, is accused of stealing a tabot, a relic of the Ten Commandments, and is jailed, setting off a struggle and an attack on Svana. Reece does his best to free Thorsonn, while falling for Eydis. When a little girl named Mia appears from thin air, the ground is set for the troubling and hallucinogenic sequel of Book Six.