Her mother murdered and her father a laudanum addict, Gemma has relied on her unsuspected strength and has discovered an ability to travel to an enchanted world called the Realms, where dark magic runs wild.

The prologue begins with two men who are searching a river in London (three years before the events of the book) for dead bodies to fence any jewelry or money left upon them.

There Gemma, Felicity, and Ann find Pippa among a group of girls she claims to have saved from entering the Winterlands.

Pippa leads the group of girls and attempts to teach them manners in a similar fashion that she was taught at Spence.

This causes her a great deal of distress and a guilt-ridden Gemma begins giving her an allowance of magic to help her get through the sadness.

The meeting was cut short by Mr. Fowlson, a loyal Rakshana member, who unsuccessfully tried to capture Kartik and Gemma.

At the peak of her tolerance, Gemma finally gave in to her visions and tried to follow the clues left by a mysterious girl in a characteristic lavender dress.

The final chapter ends with Gemma waking in a flat in New York City, having just dreamed of Kartik, looking hopefully towards the future.