After the war with Hybern no one shows up for the Calanmai ritual. Famine and drought spread across the land. With their people starving, Lucien is sent to convince Tamlin to perform the upcoming ritual to save countless lives. He arrives at the Spring Court, and he finds it in ruins. Two weeks is all the time he has to convince the Crazed Beast to save their people.

As Nesta tries to come to terms with her impending exile to the Illyrian Mountains with Cassian, a mysterious human male arrives in Velaris claiming to be a magician, and returns to her a precious treasure she believed long ago lost to her. Cassian is suspicious of the male who entered Velaris without detection, and later that night he discovers his suspicions were well warranted.