A watching face in a market crowd, a mist-shrouded figure on the moor, a haunting presence seen only when he wants to be seen. Sezuan has the Serpent Gift. With the eerie music of his flute, he can weave a web of lies and illusion to trap the keenest mind. He is also Dina's father, and he has come to claim her.

Dina's family set family set off in desperate flight, trying to escape Sezuan's snare. But soon, with nowhere else to turn, Dina must learn to see through her father's deceit and use her own gift against him.