Five decades before the birth of Christ, Chava, daughter of the royal tutor, grows up with Urbi, a princess in Alexandria's royal palace. When Urbi becomes Queen Cleopatra, Chava vows to be a faithful friend no matter what--but after she and Cleopatra have an argument, she finds herself imprisoned and sold into slavery.
Escaping a difficult childhood, Leah finds peace when she marries a man from the nation of Judah, until a decree from the ruler of the land puts her newfound peace and the entire Jewish heritage at risk.
"After her father and sister are killed, Salome and her mother move to Jerusalem. When a relative betroths Salome to a pagan prince half her age, she questions God's plan. When she finds herself crowned queen of Judea, she learns that a woman committed to God can change the world"--
Two women occupy a place in Herod's court: the king's only sister, Salome, a resentful woman who has been told she is from an inferior race, and her lowly handmaid, Zara, who sees the hurt in those around her. Both women struggle to reach their goals and survive in Herod the Great's tumultuous court, where no one is trustworthy and no one is safe.