Agnieszka lives in the valley outside the Blighted Woods. The evil of The Woods is held at bay by the wizard known as Dragon.

Every ten years, dragon selects a young woman to serve him.

Agnieszka has always expected Kasia, her dearest friend, to be chosen, since she is the bravest and the most beautiful But when Agnieszka is chosen instead, she must learn a strange, earthy magic, fight conniving politicians and horrific monsters, and forge an alliance with the prickly Dragon to save everyone she loves from the insidious rampant menace pushing out from The Woods.