Chapters 1-6 Summary

In Chapter 1, in the kingdom of Tortall, Alianne -Aly- returns home to her father after spending a holiday with relatives who enjoy dance and the theater. Aly's father, George Cooper, is the baron of Pirate's Swoop. Aly, who is sixteen, has had her hair dyed a shade of sapphire. Aly wants to become a spy, but George does not want his daughter to live a dangerous life. He would rather her be married, but Aly disagrees. Aly is very skilled at decoding secret messages and translating important documents. Aly dreams of an exciting life, and enjoys helping her father with his correspondence. Three days after her return, it is discovered that Landfall, one of George's spies, may have been outed by the inhabitants of Scanra, warring enemy of Tortall.

Aly's mother, Alanna, also feels as though her daughter should begin getting...