Istal lives a piteous existence as a slave girl bound in service to a ramshackle tavern, secretly longing for escape. She envies the common mantis, known for eating her mate, but dare not make a move for fear of punishment. When a foreigner wins her in a bet, her life takes an unexpected turn. Soon, she and her master are fleeing for their lives and delving deep beneath the earth to uncover secrets long kept hidden.