Mezzra Plum has no idea what awaits her when she turns nineteen. Raised behind the sheltering walls of her ancient desert home, she is about to learn her parents have kept a terrible secret. Arriving at her door disguised as an innocent looking scroll, Mezzra discovers the message it contains holds the power to destroy her life. Now, faced with the dreadful news that she is bound by an ancient rite, Mezzra is forced to embark on a journey that will test her deepest understanding of what it means to be truly free.