In Chapter One, the story starts with Silas, ten years before the rest of the story. He has just got herbs in the Forest for his newborn seventh son, Septimus, who will have substantial Magyk power. On his way back to his home in the Ramblings, he finds a newborn girl with black hair and purple eyes in the snow outside the Gatehouse to the Castle. He decides to take her home. When Silas enters the Castle, he is stopped by Marcia Overstrand, who has just that day become Extraordinary Wizard. She tells him, “Tell no one you found her. She was born to you. Understand?” Silas agrees, flustered. When he arrives back at his room in the Ramblings, he is shocked when the midwife attending to his newborn pronounces Septimus dead. Silas’ wife, Sarah, and his six other children, are all heartbroken. Silas shows them the newborn girl, and because Septimus is a apparently dead, they decide through their grief that the girl- which they name Jenna- would become their daughter. This is the end of Chapter 1.
Chapter Two begins in the Heap household, when Sally Mullin- Sarah’s best friend that also ran her own cafe, “The Sally Mullin Tea and Ale House”- visits as the bringer of bad news. She tells Sarah about how the Queen and Alther are dead, shot by the Custodian Guards. Sally explains how she heard the news from Tarry Tarsal (Marcia’s shoemaker), and how the Baby Princess, who was born on the day the Queen was shot, is still not found. As Sally leaves, Sarah begins to suspect that Jenna was the real Baby Princess. She is right- The Princess was the baby Silas found in the snow. As Sally is visiting Sarah, Silas, who had taken their boys fishing in the river, are now going back to the Ramblings when a Custodian Guards stops them and asks for their papers. Silas has no idea what the papers all, and the Guard explains that the beach is forbidden unless you have special permission papers. Silas apologizes and hurries on his way, taking his upset boys with him. That night, Sarah and Silas decided that even though times were hard for them, they would tough it out and keep safe. This they were able to do for nine and a half years-when they are finally found out by the Supreme Custodian.
Chapter Three begins exactly nine and a half years later, the morning of Jenna’s tenth birthday. The Supreme Custodian, wearing the Crown (which had once been on the head of the Queen), is up late in the Palace. The Assassin tells him that the Princess has finally been located and is sent to the Ramblings to assassinate Jenna Heap. Unbeknownst to the Supreme Custodian, Alther the ghost has been listening to their plans and flies to the Wizard Tower to warn Marcia. This is the end of Chapter #3.
Chapter #4 begins with Marcia, who has just been warned by Alther about the Custodian Guards plans and is getting ready for the day. She dresses and eats in her fancy ExtraOrdinary Wizard Tower rooms and begins to travel to the Heaps’ room in the Ramblings to protect Jenna. On the way, a sentry boy from the Young Army, Boy 412, accidentally throws a snowball at her. Marcia questions the boy about how old he is, and learns that he is only ten. Marcia keeps going and travels to the East Side (What the Custodian Guards renamed the Ramblings) and to the Heaps front door. This is where Chapter 4 ends.
In Chapter #5, Marcia is let into the Heap household rather reluctantly. She is watched by many small Heaps as Marcia informs them about the spy that lives next door, Linda, who has discovered Jenna and reported her to the Supreme Custodian. She insists that Jenna come with her to be protected. Silas and Sarah refuse, forcing Marcia to tell them about what really happened ten years ago when the Queen was killed. She describes how the Assassin had shot the Queen and Alther and how Marcia had quickly saved the Baby Princess. She tells them about how Alther gave Marcia the Akhu Amulet as he died, and how Marcia put Jenna in the snow where she knew Silas would find her. Jenna is shocked to learn that she is really a princess and accepts the golden circlet Marcia gives her. Alther the ghost arrives and convinces Silas and Sarah to let Jenna go with Marcia for protection. The Heaps agreed that they would go live with Galen in the Forest to stay safe. Chapter #5 ends when Marcia and Jenna leave the Ramblings.