Leah is a simple gardener, tending the psychic plants that can create chemical and psychological weapons of immense magical power. But she dreams of so much more, hoping for a better life within the walls of the Great Castle. Her calm ordered existence is tainted by sickness and plague, a contagion that picks its victims, possessing something very like intelligence. In a world where science and magic willingly embrace each other, Leah discovers a terrifying secret that may tip her world into madness and chaos worse than any mere war. With no one to help her, and no one willing to believe her, Leah is forced to confront her worst fears alone if she hopes to save the lives of the people she loves. Out there in the dark, the worm is waiting. And the worm is so very hungry...