Trouble with a rival House leads Stefan Leconta to leave Li Syval in a hurry, dragging a reluctant Aris, Ferret, and Kalo with him. At first glance, House Leconta's rustic country cabin seems like the last place where one would be disturbed by dangerous distractions, but the city folk soon find themselves caught up in a mystery involving the disappearance of some of the local residents. Confronted with another deadly threat, Ferret must again rely on her still-evolving magical talents to preserve her life and those of her friends. But none of them are aware that some of the dangers that they had faced in the city have followed them out into the countryside, part of a secret plot that could unleash a sinister terror upon the unsuspecting people of Li Syval.