Erin's family care for the Toda, fearsome water serpents. So when a number of Toda die, Erin's mother is sentenced to death. But she manages to send Erin to safety. She soon finds she can talk to both the Toda. This gives her great power, but also involves her in deadly plots. Can Erin prevent her beloved beasts from being used as tools of war, or is there no way of avoiding the battles to come?
