Elisha Lee, once a friend of Toby Lolness, is being held captive by Leo Blue, who had become a ruthless dictator and wishes to marry her.
Meanwhile, Mano Asseldor was still hiding at Seldor Farm, which has been converted into a place to detain captured Grass People.
Meanwhile, Toby meets up with another one of his old friends, Nils Amen, who is the leader of a band of woodcutters and is also helping to hide some fugitives in a secret forest in the tree.
Nils pretends to side with Leo Blue, in order to give Elisha the message that Toby has returned.
Nils' visits to the Nest, however, has aroused suspicions by his father, Norz and his friend, Solken, that he is on Leo's side, and both decided to kill him.
He attempts to rescue his love, Elisha Lee, from the Nest at the top of the tree, where she is going to be married to Leo Blue.
However, his belief that the Grass People killed his father feeds his hatred toward the Lolness family and he eventually lands them all in jail.
[1][2][3] Reviewers for the School Library Journal both praised the work, with one stating that "This interesting piece of eco-fantasy provides a satisfying conclusion for those who enjoyed the first book.
[6] Kirkus Reviews was more mixed in their opinion, writing "Once all these people and threads intersect, the sheer quantity of coincidence and contrivance to tie them off neatly strains credulity to the breaking point.