Two 700-year-old witches in modern-day Chicago must confront a demand from the community of whales living in Earth’s oceans, that their unborn son join with them in their effort to heal the broken soul of humankind--with death the outcome should he fail. Homeless, hungry, and mostly without hope, Yonnie and Mara find help in some unlikely places, including a young mathematics student struggling with calculus, and an alcoholic bum who is much more than he seems.