Barcelona, 1387. The bells of the church of Santa Maria del Mar ring out for all the residents of the Ribera neighborhood, but someone listens with particular attention. Hugo Lior, the son of a deceased sailor, works at the shipyards at the age of twelve thanks to the generosity of one of the city's most respected notables, Arnau Estanyol.

However, his youthful dream of becoming a shipbuilder is shattered by the harsh and relentless reality when the Pujo family, who harbor a deep hatred for Estanyol, exploit their privileged position close to the new king to take the revenge they have long sought.

Ten years after Our Lady of the Sea, Ildefonso Falcones returns to the world he knows so well, medieval Barcelona. He accurately recreates the feudal society of a tumultuous era, captive to the corrupt order of the nobility, recounting the struggle of a man to make ends meet without sacrificing his dignity.