Since there was not to be a journey to Trilleah for this Winter's Solstice, Bella and the Twins made marvelous plans to instead, spend that time visiting the other Travelers at Matt's lake house. It seems Bella enjoyed spending time with Matt more than the others knew. However, when Kaija Mae shows up unannounced and tells of the goings-on in the Dark Land-of the King's instructions to destroy Trilleah before the Travelers could find the last of the clay tablets-it's clear there is no time to waste! Straightaway, the Shailmas whisk their riders back to Trilleah where the Travelers would find broken gates, a crumbling Hollow, and discover that not all souls are salvageable. Some, in fact, have traded their soul for a throne and a promise. Blood Covenants between King Shrailzhar and mysterious Travelers prove to be unbearable ... and deadly. As the mists rise, uncovering the sea and what it's hiding, all they discover will take the very breath from those onlookers, and perhaps, the last of the tablets will remain buried in the bottom of the sea.