Ven, Char, and the merrow Amariel explore the world beneath the sea, where beauty is more than matched by dangers, and soon they realize that in order to save thousands of innocent lives, they may have to sacrifice their own.
Young Ven Polypheme is sent on a secret mission within the walls of the Gated City, a former penal colony in the land of Serendair, where he and his friends face kidnapping and even worse dangers from the ruthless Thief Queen, who is trying to reclaim her runaway daughter.