What is the main conflict in Petra: City in Stone by T. L. Higley?

The struggle for power is at the center of the novel's conflict. Many of the characters are hungry for power, although they crave different facets of power. Julian, for example, clearly craves to have the respect of the Petran church, which could come only from his power as a church leader. This desire for respect and power leads him to make many mistakes, mistakes that cause him to turn away from God's plan and to focus instead on his own wishes, bringing his own plans into fruition.