On the night before his twelfth birthday, Ash learns that he was born on the same day as Prince Khufu, which makes him eligible to compete to be the prince’s shadow, a coveted position as the friend and bodyguard of the boy destined to be pharaoh of all of Egypt. At first, Ash can’t believe it, but when a floating royal barge takes Ash and his mentor to the bustling, magical, solar-powered capital, things get real. What awaits Ash and the candidates is deadly - five days of dangerous tests filled with demon fighting, monster slaying, and magical spells - each overseen by a different Egyptian god. Ash finds two friends willing to fight by his side - the first friends he’s ever made. But there are candidates who will lie, cheat, and even harm others to win.