As famine continues to devastate Ireland, Santiago Ó Gealbháin seeks escape across the Atlantic, setting his sights on the rising Second Mexican Empire. Cunning and resilience secure him passage aboard an English vessel, but the journey is fraught with hardship and deception.

Amidst the filth and desperation below deck, unlikely alliances are forged, and new ambitions take root. Upon arriving in Veracruz, Santiago sees not just refuge, but opportunity—a land on the brink of war, where power is ripe for the taking.