Amnesiac Motley Bula awakens brutally wounded on a steampunk battlefield, his only clue to his identity a mysterious silver badge. Rescued by Tash Everground, a pragmatic healer in the fearful city of Dustfall where magic is "taint," Motley quickly discovers his unique Chronos Eye power to glimpse others' pasts. His mere presence, however, draws the relentless suspicion of Guard Captain Zeb Gipgrave, and the attention of the city's leaders.

Now, with a looming threat to his life and the help of Hugo Swin-Bumble, a shrewd information broker, Motley and Tash must find a way to escape the city and embark on a perilous journey into the vast Faph Desert. With his only hope for answers a mysterious destination from his dreams, Motley must rely on his newfound friends and a power he doesn't yet understand to reclaim his past and find his place in a world that wants to hunt him down.