Ailia has never truly belonged, for she has no totem, no 'skin'. Without skin, she is not allowed to learn the traditions of her ancestors, or to marry.

But this is Celtic Britain, and the dark power of the Roman Empire is gathering in the distance.

As Ailia's people prepare to face a brutal enemy and an uncertain future, it is Ailia who must embrace the extraordinary power which lies within her... and who must stand, alone, to protect the people she loves from the end of everything they've ever known.