The date is May 1, 1511. The great wheel of the sacred moon calendar has turned, and the day is 5 Kawak, a time of storm and change. Ah-cambal, a Maya elder, hikes through the dry jungle of Yucatán, his head awhirl with thoughts of a troubling prophecy. Many leagues away, a Spanish ship runs before the wind and hastens toward a reckoning that will cast Gonzalo and his companions into a strange and terrifying land. The kingdom of the Maya has fallen from the height of its opulence and power, but small city-states still vie for dominance. Gonzalo is a young and impulsive wanderer, estranged from his family and from his God. Amid storm, sacrifice, violence, and war, he struggles to survive, find love, and give meaning to his life. Meanwhile, Ah-cambal works to safeguard his city and its people as he navigates political intrigue and the clash of powerful personalities. In the face of uncertainty, a prudent man humbly petitions his gods with sacrifice. Often, the fragrant smoke of copal, a scoop of maize, or a garland of flowers leaves them content, but the gods are fickle. Sometimes, they demand blood.