Diviners have told Audrun that the child she carries must be born in a haven of peace, far from her war-scourged homeland, but as she flees she finds only far greater danger. For her karavan is overtaken by Alisanos, the deepwood—a dangerous magical forest that harbors not only demons, gods, and other otherwordly creatures, but also its own sinister intentions—and which may have already claimed Audrun and her child for its own.