After ANNA HOYT's sister commits suicide, Anna sets off for Atlanta to kill the man responsible for destroying her family—her fiancé, JIM “WHITEY” DONOVAN. But Anna, a spirited though pampered daughter of a prominent doctor, can't do it alone. To get through the hell that lay between her Alabama home and Atlanta, she makes a deal with one of the Donovan slaves, HATTIE VIRGIL, who has an agenda all her own. In exchange for a chance at freedom, Hattie, a survivor, will lead this unlikely pair on a quest that will change them both forever.

Set in the summer of 1864, Anna and Hattie must endure their prejudices against each other as they race against time to get to Donovan before General Sherman invades Atlanta and steals away their only chance at vengeance.

Their path will be an inferno of war, and in the end, the two will be faced with discovering truth: For Anna to seek vengeance, can she venture deep enough into the darkness, and for Hattie, is there any escape from it?