The Sun Holder holds the cold sun of the empire. He is the empire’s most powerful inhabitant and the cold sun he holds gives the empire light but no heat. But to keep him holding the sun the empress bribes him. Among the bribes are the treasures of the empire and the most interesting gossip, owned by her raven the Black Gossip. The Sun Holder takes the bribes but never promises anything. The empress and all the Lostians live in constant fear that one day he will stop holding the sun for them and they will be lost in the darkness forever.