In 1628, Bess Hawksmith loses her entire family to the plague, except her mother who is hanged for witchcraft. Bess escapes her own hanging and finds shelter and training in a warlock named Gideon. When he tries to make her his forever, she flees. In present day England in 2007, immortal witch Elizabeth befriends local teenager Tegan. Wary of letting someone into her life and past, she trains Tegan as a hedge witch. In the time they spend together, Tegan learns of Besss past on the run from Gideon and notable moments in history in which she lived.