Desperate to give her once-murdered father a few more years of life on this side, Astre strikes a deal with the goddess of the underworld: she must win the Gods' Trial, a tournament of death matches that crowns the winner the ruler of the world. Refusing to participate or losing in the arena both mean an eternity of suffering in the underworld.

But a deal is a deal, and Astre sets out to cheat her way to the throne.