Shebat came to the empire of the Kerrions from nowhere , brought by a renegade son into that vast family regime and its endless territorial possessions. Now she stood to inherit the majesty and riches which lay before her , stretching enticingly deep into the infinities of space. Magical seductress of men , passionate in her lust for power , she moved among those who controlled the destinies of millions , for whom treachery and betrayal were as easy as murder.