The half-dwarf daughter of a human king, Branwen struggles to find her place in a world that sees hybrids as abominations. She's smart, kind, and gifted with magic, but she often feels she's nothing more than a mistake.

When an allied land unexpectedly declares war, experimenting with dark magic seems the best way to save Branwen's kingdom and gain her father's approval—but she'll have to compromise her morals to do it. As she delves deeper into the practice of dark magic, the line between right and wrong begins to blur, leaving her to wonder if the ends really do justify the means.