When twelve-year-old Ya'el is taken prisoner by the -Babylonians, her ability to write saves her life. A girl scribe, unique in the Empire, she's destined for slavery in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar. Days later, her ruined city of Jerusalem is far behind. She struggles to survive on the long brutal trek, while strange dreams disturb her sleep. Her impulsiveness and passion for learning earn her hostility from fellow prisoners and murderous hatred from Babylonian guards. Desperate to avoid her looming fate, she's forced to confront her own complicity in the vitriol directed at her. And the dreams are getting stranger.