Seven Salazar is a witch who lives in the town of Ravenskill with her parents and her baby brother, Beefy. Every year, the Black Moon Ceremony sorts the 12-year-old witches of the Twelve Towns into covens. Seven has studied hard for the event because she doesn’t want to be one of the three Spares who won’t be placed in a coven. She dreams of being sorted into the powerful House Hyacinth and becoming a famous journalist like her idol, Tiordan Whisperbrew. Her parents, Fox and Talisman, try to ease her nerves, but Seven worries that she might get placed with Valley Pepperhorn, a loner from a wealthy, intimidating family who’s bullied Seven for years. Seven is on edge while she and her family walk to the Ravenskill town square because there have been rumors of a monster called the Nightbeast, “a giant wolf that ate Witchlings” (6). Her best friend, Poppy, promises that they’ll stay friends no matter what coven they’re sorted into.

Each Town is ruled by a Gran, and her second-in-command is the Uncle, who has the power to speak to animals. Ravenskill’s Gran is named Knox Kosmos, and the Uncle is named Rulean Pennyfeather.