Cristina Mera Richards's father is the latest victim of reaper Edgar Verner. Verner and the harvesters have been preying on the hovertown of New Bayou for too long, and someone has to put an end to their carnage. Cristina Mera decides she is that someone, but because Verner is an immortal alkemist, she will have to get creative when it comes to destroying him. And the stakes only get higher when Verner decides he wants Cristina Mera--and her unique powers--as his apprentice and under his control.

As a changeling, Cristina Mera can see and hear the spirits of the dead. It's an ability she uses to free souls from suffering when their bodies become desiccated by the withering sickness--and one Verner intends to exploit.

A way out for Cristina Mera appears in the form of Wanderer Alkemist Nikola Skazat--a woman with a long past and many secrets--whose beauty and charm entice Cristina Mera as much as the opportunity for her help against Verner. As Nikola's apprentice, Cristina Mera might find a way to save her hovertown. But she could lose her heart along the way--or even her life.