Though they believe themselves to have inherited the earth from humankind, the androgynous and magical Wraeththu have yet to learn the truth about their origins. After an eerie and powerful Festival night that surpasses all others, two hara, Ulaume and Flick, are inspired to embark upon separate journeys in search of meaning and truth. Somehar - or something - is calling them, through dreams and eerie visions. Their paths cross, and they find they share a single destiny: to discover who holds power in the fabled city of Immanion and to defend the outcast harling Lileem, who is linked to the strange Kamagrian tribe.

Seel, the leader of the Sarocks, thought that the mysterious and powerful Thiede was done with him, after the part Seel played in making Thiede aware of a young and special har named Pellaz, who had come to Saltrock for inception. When Pellaz left the town, Seel knew Thiede had plans for the har, which were perhaps malign, but suppressed his misgivings. There was nothing he could do about it. Then Cal, Pellaz's lover, returns to Saltrock alone, with a horrifying tale to tell and soon, after shattering events occur that end in murder, Seel realises he can't escape Thiede, or the destiny that's set for him.

Fitting chronologically between the novels The Bewitchments of Love and Hate and The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire from The Wraeththu Chronicles this first volume in The Wraeththu Histories takes up the tale of prominent characters from the original trilogy, and what happened to them while Pellaz and Cal were involved in meeting their own challenging destinies.