Branded as traitors by the king's authorities, Crispin and his guardian, Bear, flee to coastal towns in fourteenth-century England, where they perform a musical juggling act and bond as a family after befriending a disfigured girl.

In Italy in 1491, Mangus the magician and his apprentice are summoned to the castle of Duke Claudio to determine if his daughter is indeed being haunted by a ghost.

Falsely accused of theft and murder, an orphaned peasant boy in fourteenth-century England flees his village and meets a larger-than-life juggler who holds a dangerous secret.

As Crispin tries to fulfill Bear's dream of moving to Iceland, he must leave Troth behind at a convent that needs a healer but, after falling in with thieves posing as musicians, he makes a new friend, Owen, and together they continue the arduous journey.

To avenge his father, Noah becomes a spy for the British during the American Revolution, witnessing firsthand the hypocrisy, lies, and allegiances that come with war, and must determine for himself where his loyalty truly lies.

As the lone "young lady" on a transatlantic voyage in 1832, Charlotte learns that the captain is murderous and the crew rebellious.