The novel opens in the sleepy village of Ayanfe, nestled among golden hills and ancient woods. Amina Oladiran, a spirited but reserved country girl, buries her parents after a tragic fire razes their home. Left with nothing but a burned-out farm and eight thousand shillings in debt, she faces constant harassment from creditors. Villagers murmur about her being cursed, for strange happenings always followed the Oladirans.
One night, while sorting through her mother's charred belongings, Amina finds a glowing pendant and a sealed letter marked with a family crest she's never seen. The letter warns:
"If the farm falls, awaken the Guardian."
Desperate to understand, Amina visits the old wise woman Mama Bisi, who speaks of an ancient pact made by her ancestors with a Forest Guardian known as Eledan, keeper of forgotten magic and protector of balance.