Istanbul, 1591 - and Sultan Murad III, the mightiest ruler in the world, has been robbed. The Staff of Moses has been stolen right from under his imperial nose! The wooden Staff, held by Moses as he parted the Red Sea, is a magical symbol of power worth a king's ransom - and the furious Sultan wants it back.

A small undercover unit of hand-picked, trusted warriors is hastily assembled to track down the thieves. They are the 'Rüzgar' - the 'Wind' - they travel silently and unseen. Awa, daughter of a noble family from the Songhai Empire in West Africa, was kidnapped and enslaved by Moroccans after the disastrous Battle of Tondibi. Awa is a whirling and deadly force. Will, who was snatched from his home in London at the age of 5, is now 16 and a galley slave on board a Moroccan warship. He and Awa become fast friends.

The Rüzgar's pursuit of a network of rogues takes them across continents and into many perilous situations. The action is fast and furious, set against thrilling backdrops including deserts, oceans, dungeons, the roofs of the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, the canals of Venice and the court of Queen Elizabeth I at Nonsuch Palace in Surrey.

The task to reclaim the Staff is a mission that is (almost) impossible . . .