Alexa has always wanted to get outside the walls that surround her. Outside lays the Dark Hills and other unknowns. Alexa is living with her father, who is important to the economy of Bridewell. So, Alexa is living in a old apartment like place, with her dad and many other important people. One day when Warvlord dies, Alexa steals his silver key, that leads to outside the walls. Alexa is able to learn about jocastas, from Warvlords son. Jocastas were made by Warvlord's wife. They were tiny writings or pictures that could only be seen with a magnifying glass, and they were wrtitten on neckalces. Alexa finds a Jocasta on one of the cats necklace. The cats are in the library, where Alexa spends most of her time, reading. When the Jocasta is a map of the library leading outside the walls, Alexa's curiosity compells her, and she goes outside the walls. There she finds and learns more than she can handle, including she finds out that a raid of the convicts that were sent into the hills, will soon take place.