After eight years apart, Evadne can't wait to see her older sister, Halcyon. But, when Halcyon returns from the queen's army a day early, Eva knows something is terribly wrong. Halcyon is on the run and being chased by her commander after being charged with murder.

Though Halcyon's life is spared, her punishment is heavy-- five years hard labor, five years imprisonment, and five years serving the house she has wronged. Suspicious of the circumstances, Eva volunteers to take part of Halcyon's sentence. She's sent to serve in the commander's house, where she meets Damon, a handsome and intriguing mage. Eva must work with Damon on a potentially deadly mission to retrieve a powerful relic that could save the kingdom--and clear her sister's name. But as the sisters continue to serve each of their sentences, they quickly learn that there are fates worse than death.