Living in an occupied land, occupied by Nevians who have subjugated them into a servant class, Chalatta is on the run with her mother who is wanted for murder. With nowhere else to go, her mother takes her to live with her father, a full-blooded Krindarwee with abilities off the charts. It was because of these abilities that her mother left him in the first place. They frighten her. Chalatta soon discovers that she is far more like her father than her mother, and there is no one else who can help her grow into the person that she is destined to be. Through her father, she learns her life has a two-fold purpose, should she be allowed time to grow into it. Somehow she is to defeat the Nevians, and also destroy the Zocassari, the evil entities they brought with them. But Chalatta is just a little girl, and finds these purposes intimidating and impossible. Furthermore, her mother's brother, dominated by one of these entities, would like to find her and use her for his own nefarious purposes. She is too young to confront the enemies that pursue her. Or is she?