Ashling: Elspeth Gordie's adventures continue as she tries to seal an alliance between the secret Misfit community at Obernewtyn and the rebel forces rumored to be hiding in the capital, right under the noses of the dreaded totalitarian Council. Her mission will take her far beyond the borders of the Land, across the sea and into the heart of the mysterious desert, where she discovers that she will need the desert peoples help to fulfill her destiny and save her world. Keeping place: When a Misfit is kidnapped, Elspeth is compelled to join the growing rebellion against the Council, but while her extraordinary mental powers could topple the corrupt authoritarian regime she is more concerned about destroying the remaining Beforetime weapon machines. When Elspeth and others undertake a dangerous journey to rescue a powerful psychic and find an enormous book trove, the fate of the Obernewtyn colony hangs in the balance.