In1963 South Carolina, Twins, Jezebel, and Jay, worlds are mixed up. The death of their grandmother has left them in shock and awe. The community gathers to pay their respects to their grandmother, who was a fantastic rootworker. Jez is in awe. She aspires to help people in the same way except her mother thinks she's too young to learn rootwork. After the funeral, their family arrives in time to catch the local deputy ransacking their shed and trying to get into their home. White folk fears rootworkers as magicians and charlatans. The deputy threatens the family. The twins' uncle realizes that young or not, the duo must learn root magic to protect their town from impending calamity. But how can rootwork save a town from outsiders? It's just mixing balms.