It is easy to lose track of time in the woods. After Arial returns to her cottage from a day in the high hills gathering herbs for her nana, she is horrified to discover her home ransacked by a trio of strangers, her grandmother unconscious, and her father missing. Arial's seemingly normal life in the small village of Mumblesey on Rumblesea Cove has just turned upside down.
A note from her father instructs Arial that if he has not returned in ten days, she should hide her identity and take to the road for her own protection. After Arial changes her name to Nissa, she leaves in the middle of the night to begin a journey that will take her and her hunting cat, Carz, across the country of Sommerhjem. Nissa travels to summer fairs gathering a group of companions who soon embark with her on a dangerous adventure involving an evil regent who does not want to give up power, a princess coming of age, and folks taking sides. Along the way, Nissa meets a variety of mysterious folk including the Gunnary, the Huntress, and the elusive Neebings.
In this intriguing fantasy tale, Nissa's journey calls upon her to draw on resources, courage and strength she did not know she had."