Born into slavery in 1836 on a plantation outside Charlotte, North Carolina, Henry has a remarkable gift. Though his mother warned him to keep it a secret, one day he inadvertently reveals his talent. His owner, Dr. Robert Parker, wants to study the boy and takes him to town to live at his home. Only six years old, Henry must learn to live without his mother and the only world he has ever known.

As the nation moves inexorably toward war, Dr. Parker's son enlists to fight for the Confederacy and Henry, now a young man, is forced to accompany him. Drawn ever deeper into the bloody conflict, Henry must use all his strength and skills to find a way to survive. In the end, the decisions he makes will determine the course of the rest of his life, and the lives of those he loves.