The comet of 1618 sends Nelia on a perilous quest that will change the fate of many. From her Gypsy ranch in Valencia, she travels through ghostly forests and ancient cities across Spain looking for a mercury mine to rob and an alchemist to help her with the formula. She faces her protectors' betrayal despite her warnings that a curse will fall upon them if she used her magical powers to make fake gold. The Inquisition will burn her at the stake for being a witch. Knowing they could also condemn her for the "nefarious sin" of having an affair with her female best friend, she explores her feeling s for two very different men. Many people are offended by Nelia's actions. The village women dislike having their husbands physically examined by a Gypsy woman who performs exotic dances at the tavern. The doctor and his pharmacist resent that the governor had let her sabotage their business. And, to fuel the priest's anger, the ghosts in the cemetery are no longer a legend.