Every year since 1904, when the ice breaks up on the North Saskatchewan River, Edmonton has crowned a Melting Queen-a woman who presides over the Melting Day spring carnival and who must keep the city's spirits up over the following winter. But this year, something goes wrong. A genderfluid university dropout called River Runson is Named as Melting Queen, and the city tears itself in two as River's reign starts to expose the dark underbelly of the city's century-old traditions. River is betrayed by their best friend, has their mind ripped apart by intrusive memories from past Melting Queens, and ultimately brings an end to the city's grand traditions-only to start something new.