When Thomas Jefferson's longtime companion is murdered with dark magic, Katerina Dashkova and Ben Franklin must find the killer before the war-hungry Federalists learn the truth and use it to maneuver America into a war with Russia. Unfortunately, the unknown assassin isn't the only one causing trouble: a certain rusalka with a magical hold on Kat's future has made an impossible demand that will test her loyalty to her new country to its very limits.