In the very distant past, a god fashioned an artifact - a silver figurine of a tiassa, a winged panther-like animal. To Devera the Wanderer, it's a pretty toy to play with. To the skilled and cunning assassin Vlad Taltos, it's a handy prop for a con he's running. To the Empire, it's a tool to be used against the Jenoine. And to the crime syndicate, Jhereg, it's a trap to kill Vlad. As it happens, however, the silver tiassa has its own agenda. Tiassa tells a story that threads its way through more than ten years of the remarkable life of Vlad Taltos - and, to the delight of longtime fans, brings him together with Khaavren, Captain of The Phoenix Guard.