Sixteen-year-old Seikei is uneasy about returning to the city where he grew up. After all, he hasnÂ't been back since Judge Ooka adopted him and he became a samurai. SeikeiÂ's unease grows even further when he notices strange changes in his brother and sister. But most disturbing is the puppet theater, where two gruesome murders have Seikei involved in a crime so sinister and complex, it will take all of his skills to unravel it. If he fails, he will not only disappoint both his families, but innocent lives will be lost—including, quite possibly, his own.