From the author of The Alchemist's Daughter comes a tale of obsession and deceit... 

Kronos is a fool in the court of King Henry VIII. Jeered for his dwarfism, lauded for his juggling talent...and discreetly desired by noble ladies. One dangerous moment of eavesdropping nearly costs him his life. 

Brutally maimed and abandoned, he is rescued by an apothecary and nursed back to health. However, when his rescuer learns of Kronos's import, he contrives to make himself a rich man. He uses Kronos to pit two powerful families against one another. 

But Kronos is wise to court machinations, and he is ready to outplay anyone who thinks him weak. Dismissed and underestimated, Kronos is a man who can overcome any preconceptions about his character and make his foes reconsider who among them is the greater fool?