Quentin and his friends are now the kings and queens of the magical land of Fillory. But wealth, luxury and an idle lifestyle begin to gradually tire the restless Quentin, he longs for adventure. When a routine morning hunt takes an unexpected and sinister turn, Quentin and Julia board a ship to travel across the vast expanse of their kingdom. However, incredibly, the friends end up in the last place they would like to be - in the real world, not far from Quentin's home. And only the skills of dark magic, which Julia illegally learned in “shelters” for wizards not accepted into Brackbills, can help them return back and save Fillory from the impending threat.