As a lethal plague sweeps through the land, Ani Mells is shocked when she is unexpectedly captured by the governor’s wardens and forced to submit to a test for the deadly scourge. She is even more surprised when the test results come back positive, and she is sent to Attic Island, a former prison turned refuge—and quarantine colony—for the ill.

Now one of the scourge’s victims, Ani can only expect to live out a short, painful life on the island. But she quickly discovers that she doesn’t know the whole truth about the scourge or the colony. She’s been caught in a devious plot, and with the help of her best friend, Weevil, Ani means to uncover just what is actually going on. But will she and Weevil survive long enough to do so?