After her cousin Matyas' blood breaks the Binding, effectively disarming the spell restricting magic to the elite Luminates, Anna Arden believes that the magical, inhuman Praetheria will be safe, Hungary will be independent of Hapsburg rule, and she can freely love the Romani Gábor, but instead by May 1848, Anna feels pressure to lend her support to opposing political factions, attempts to master her chimera nature, and ends up seeking the aid of the outlaw the King of Crows.