The Saudi king is dying, and a successor must be chosen from the next generation, the grandsons of the assassinated Abdul Aziz and the founder of the kingdom. One prince, His Royal Highness Rashid Abdul Aziz is determined to rule, but royal blood is not enough. He needs to demonstrate he is worthy of the crown. If his wife can find the first Qur'an, used by the Prophet, Prince Rashid will be the next king. The prince fears, however, that the exquisite find won't be enough. Secretly, he orders terrorists to eliminate his half-brothers and cousins.

Rashid needs someone he can trust. He asks Amy Prowers, to assist his wife, Princess Hassa, on the excavation and to validate the finding. Though Amy is not an archaeologist, her aunt's private international organization, the Committee, has access to experts in the ancient city of Ubar in the Empty Quarter. Eager to help her deceased husband's friend, Prince Rashid, Amy arrives and discovers there is more at stake than ancient cultures.

The kingdom is a breeding ground for a new generation of terrorists. A secret sect called the Black Princes put Amy's life at risk as she becomes a participant in her friend's quest for the Saudi throne.