The kingdom of Khauran is admittedly small, but blessed with an abundance of rich soil, hard working inhabitants and much gold but most of all by a sweet young queen who is as wise and beneficent as she is beautiful. But then a horrible witch (her evil twin sister) secretly replaces her and introduces devil worship, human sacrifice and other things too repulsive to mention. Conan, who was the captain of her guard is captured and crucified in the desert. From there the incomparable story telling skill of Robert E. Howard takes us on a spiral of exciting intrigue, battle, blood, demons, and final retribution. Oh yes, Conan makes them regret the day they even thought about messing with his queen or him.