From the first day that polar opposite friends Lucy and Cassie meet at prep school, they are inseparable through Vietnam and Civil Rights marches to falling in love for the first time. Lucy emerges from the turmoil engaged to the crown prince of Patan, poised to become the Princess of Paradise, while Cassie marries Lucy's college flame, David, and struggles to balance married and working life.
When David rises to fame as a rock star, Cassie's whole world shifts dramatically while, in the Himalayas, Lucy slips into the rhythm of a lifestyle that hasn't changed in centuries. That is, until she realizes that her gilt palace is no better than a prison - complete with guards. For both, escape is the only answer, but nothing comes without a price.