Jennifer Prothero feels safe living in New Garth with her adopted family, something she hadn't believed possible when she lived in Deem. Barely a child when she followed Seth and Mole, Orlando and Candy, Morgan and Dharmistha from the corrupt city, she is discovering the restlessness of adolescence, making her wonder if the seemingly idyllic life among her adopted family is really what she wants.

Then, the rural peace is destroyed when space ships carrying two species of alien crash nearby, one friendly, the other hostile—Watermen, perverse, child-stealing monsters whose previous visits left death and destruction behind.

Aided by Sill and Glider, the genderless alien survivors of the first crashed ship, Jennifer and her family choose to fight for their home. When the battle is done, Jennifer faces an unexpected new choice about her future.