The Girl in the Tower picks up right after The Bear in the Nightingale ends. Vasya has run from her home in the north lands rather than face marriage or a convent. Disguised as a boy with help from the frost demon Morozko, Vasya and her loyal stallion Solovey find themselves in Moscow. Olga and Sasha, Vasya's older siblings, discover her intrigues. Vasya unwittingly ingratiates herself with the crown prince when she helps his men drive of bandits in the countryside bordering Moscow. Vasya is determined to share her secret, but lives in terror of what it might mean for her family members. In addition to her intrigues as a boy, she still sees the magical creatures of Russian lore. They circle her as one might circle a pool of clear water. How can she possibly be expected to live a normal life as a Russian woman?