Arta, an enslaved visitor to the Land of Witches, writes a fantastical account of the town, including the witches’ ability to manipulate time and space through the Dream Science. Her witch friend, Verken, teaches her the power so she can escape from her master and go home.  

After her escape, her master discovers that her account of the Land of Witches has been published. He publishes a refutation of her claims about the town's magical allure and plans to recapture Arta.  

In the present, Sagal Said, a graduate assistant, attempts to write a historical dissertation about Arta and Taharqo’s accounts of the Land of Witches. Sagal is marooned in her war-torn homeland and cannot return to the States. Through her dreams, Sagal believes she can go to the Land of Witches with her brother’s help. But before he can agree, their city falls under attack.

A group of modern-day witches are trying to find the Land of Witches. The Scribe reads notes they believe were written by their friend Sagal; the Navigator pieces the directions together in his dreams; the Harpist sings the crew to sleep after a long day.