1904. The Klondike Gold Rush is yesterday's news, but not for Jonathan Brick, journalist for Seattle's Daily News. Assigned to a month-long trip to cover the slowdown of gold mining in the Yukon, Jonathan brings along his adoptive sister, Melody. Since she showed up on his doorstep as a child, she's been Jonathan's constant companion and the closest thing he's had to family for the past fifteen years. Even with no memory of her previous life and a severe speech disorder, Melody has been crucial to his work. Pursuing a series of interviews throughout the Yukon, the pair ends up in the isolated town of Lumberwitch. With the exception of two dedicated dreamers, the town has given up on finding gold in its abandoned mine. But while investigating the mine, Jonathan and Melody find something more valuable than gold - an ancient code carved into the mine's walls in an obscure language. Not only can Melody decipher the code, but she also knows the language instinctively, speaking it without the effects of her otherwise-crippling speech disorder. Before they know it, Jonathan and Melody are caught in a dangerous struggle. A deadly cult has seized the reins in Lumberwitch, led by a woman with an unholy hunger. While at the bottom of the subterranean lake below the mine lies what could be the secret of a legendary civilization. Between the two, Jonathan hopes to find the key to unlock Melody's enigmatic past and unravel the mysteries of Lumberwitch - but only if they survive.