The chilling sequel to the Napoleonic historical vampire novel, Twelve. In the summer of 1812, before the Oprichniki came to the help of Mother Russia in her fight against Napoleon, one of their number overheard a conversation between his master, Zmyeevich, and another of their number. He learns of a feud, an unholy grievance between Zmyeevich and the Romanov dynasty that began a century earlier at the time of Peter the Great. Indeed, while the Oprichniki's primary reason for journeying to Russia is to stop the French, one of them — Iuda — is following a different agenda, for he is to be the instrument of revenge on the Romanovs. But thanks to the valiant efforts of Captain Aleksei Ivanovich Danilov, Iuda would not be able to begin to complete his task until thirteen years later. But now, in 1825, Russia once more stands on the brink of anarchy, and this time the threat comes from within.