Amsterdam, 1889. Elizabeth Bergen and her school friend Bernard are drawn into a house that appears to be abandoned, but is not. The owner has hardly eaten for weeks. His skin has loosened on his face. He remembers leaving the door unlocked now. His inner demon has lost none of its cunning. There is no hope of controlling himself. The events that follow leave Elizabeth traumatised, the house empty, and Bernard lost.

All Elizabeth has left is a raven's feather, which she presents to Bernard's father, Huginn Raaf. His eyes widen and he tells her, "I've been looking for a raven." Ten years pass, years in which Elizabeth lives with the certain knowledge that there are monsters in the world and they will consume you if you do not adequately protect yourself. To that end, she learns all she can of the magical nature of the world. Huginn Raaf becomes a mentor to her, though a distant one. He encourages Elizabeth in her studies, sending her books on mythology, mysticism and science. Now she sends a letter to him, explaining that she feels anxious and suspects she is being followed. Huginn returns to Amsterdam, but events soon begin to spiral out of their control.

Elizabeth must solve a mystery that is centuries old, and face a darkness that haunts her. She vows she will destroy it. But how can she, when doing so threatens to unleash an even greater power? A force that could see all Amsterdam devoured in flames.