Some say the earth is dying. Others say it is already dead. Lark believes that the world lives on, somehow. But hope is hard to come by in the settlement she lives in. As the daughter of their leader, she has many privileges, sheltered from hardship. But her fortune comes at a price, for her father expects her to marry as soon as she turns eighteen. Lark has little choice and less interest in marriage, so when a group of nomads come to trade, she thinks nothing of sneaking out and joining them. She soon discovers that there is more beauty in the world than she ever imagined, and that her new people are creating a new world. She is even more interested in Haze, their mysterious leader with grand ambitions. Lark must find her new place in the world, without the controlling hand of her family. But her father won't let her go that easily.