A family never spoken of, a past shrouded in deception where hybrid humans walk the surreal landscapes of hidden islands now severed from the world. Scarlett and her cousins are taken from sheltered lives in Chicago and thrust into a life they never imagined filled with secrets and betrayals, where power and ancestry count for more than kindness. After being inducted into a university where they learn to call the elements to become Mother's Guardians, they discover they're something more than human while wading through the politics of Tidings and attempting to cultivate relationships with family left behind. Scarlett finds herself torn between the charismatic future Prime of her people and a dangerous outsider who's set his sights on her.