The two novels of the series, In the Night Garden and In the Cities of Coin and Spice, are in turn split into two books apiece.
Because of the strange tattoos around her eyes, a girl lives alone in the Sultan's gardens until the young prince dares to speak to her.
Some characters appear in both books - as well as in the sequel, In the Cities of Coin and Spice; for example, the myths of the Stars run through numerous stories.
As he tries to redeem himself, he learns about the witch's life on the steppe, quests for the skin of a beast, and discovers the truth of his family's history.
From the girl's eye, he reads about a city besieged by an army of djinn, and the one djinni who defies her kingdom to stop the war.