Her family murdered, her kingdom overrun by invaders, fifteen year-old Princess Scarlet Elwen finds herself the lone survivor of the royal family and goes into hiding . . . in plain sight right there in the castle. Calling herself Newle, she takes up the job as the cook's scullery maid and begins plotting to regain her family's throne. Discovered too soon, she is forced to flee and runs away across the sea to preserve her life. Along the way, she encounters a dwarf, a wizard, a city of elves and eventually, a dragon. It's what she tells the dragon that forces her to recognize how she has abandoned her people and what she must do to save them. Will she find her courage? What will become of her people?