Dhoban and his sister Serin had expected to have several more years' training before becoming priests, but when their mentors are killed, far from home, by religious zealots, they do their best to take their places. It troubles the village elders that the spiritual leadership of the community is left in such inexperienced hands, especially when they hear that the fanatics are growing stronger and sweeping closer, but they hesitate to intervene, for fear of angering the spirits and losing their protection. Dhoban and Serin announce that, as custom demands, they must appoint two apprentices before the year's end, and it becomes clear that they are oblivious both to the threat from outside and to just how ill-equipped they are to teach their untested skills. The elders know that they must act: but how can they do that without losing the goodwill of the spirits? And is it, in any case, too late?