Zalea and Milla Wood know little about the world outside their tribe's land-hold. In school they learned about the troubled Old Times, when bad leaders wreaked havoc on the nation, but that was before they were born. Today the sisters live in a community that shares roots, culture, and beliefs, where everyone knows everyone and all are treated fairly under the guidance of the girls' Grandfather, Ben Woods. Seventeen-year-old Zalea is a firebrand who has always seen cracks in the tribe's facade of fairness. Why is everything decided by men? Why are wives bartered like cattle? Why do some crimes go unpunished? And why is their mother so unhappy and silent? Younger and less likely to question, Milla likes the security and peacefulness of tribal life. She looks forward to the time when Grandfather will arrange a marriage for her with a suitable young man. But things change. After a brutal murder, Zalea realizes she must leave the tribe and take Milla with her. Together they begin a dangerous trek across the nation to find the man who can tell them the secrets of the past.