A mysterious disease destroyed almost all life on Earth: the air became unfit to breathe, and the soil turned to dust. The survivors adapted to the new climate and settled in St. Petersburg, calling it the Fivebreath City. Assol is doing her best to be “normal”—she diligently goes to church, doesn’t snap at elders, teaches at the parish school, and follows the authorities’ instructions. But one thing gives her away: only she can breathe in the Ancient Houses that have been preserved in their original form after the catastrophe. How do you stay yourself when everyone around you believes your gift is a curse? Should the common well-being be placed above your own happiness? And what lies there, beyond the Fifth River? Assol has yet to answer these questions.