Hester leaves Apple HIll to help her uncle during the U.S. Civil War. Her skills as a healer serve to assist her uncle and those who are wounded during one of the biggest battles in United States history, the Battle of Gettysburg. Along the way, she finds that home is wherever her love is and that sacrifices are made by many other women during this epic time. Included in this story are cameos of Awinta, the African Cherokee sister of Easter, who is a fierce fighter. Easter, Hester's mother, is on an adventure of her own to find her lost husband, Arter, who disappeared after deciding to confront his brother about slavery. The story begins in Tennessee and continues in the varied directions that each of the three women travel. Their healing powers and their fortitude result in their survival and familial triumph.