In 1862, the United States was on the brink of change. Whispers of Abraham Lincoln’s proposed Emancipation Proclamation ran like wildfire through the streets, and there was little doubt that soon all the men and women that had once been subjugated and forced into slavery would finally be free. However, not everyone welcomed this change. Archibald Campbell, terrified of losing his slaves and plantation, made a deal with a powerful Voodoo Priestess named Simbi. She wove a spell that would bind his slaves to him forever and grant him an unnaturally long life. For centuries, Archibald and his slaves lived in isolation in Derniere, a town hidden in a forest. The slaves longed to escape, and over time, many managed to do so. Archibald discovered that with each escaped slave, he aged while his slaves turned to dust. To prevent the curse from ending his life, he had to keep a member of each slave’s bloodline in Derniere.

In present-day Chicago, Jaxson faces a difficult homicide case and is put on temporary leave after a near-death experience. He receives a letter awarding him property in Derniere, where he meets Angela Allen, a professor searching for answers about the town. Together, they uncover its secrets and work to unravel its mysteries.