The following version of the book was used to create this study guide: Blackwood, Lauren. Within These Wicked Walls. St. Martin's Publishing Group, New York, NY, 10271, 2021. Kindle AZW file.

Andromeda has grown up under the care of an unfeeling guardian named Jember. Andromeda assumes that Jember bought her from her biological parents when she was five years old. Though she cannot help but feel affection for Jember, he has never shown her any kind of love or compassion. She assumes that means he does not love her. He has taught her to survive in a world filled with danger and hardship. He has also taught her the skills of being a debtera. In this world, curses are real and the church officials include debtera. Though not on the same level as the priests, debtera have the authority and protection of the church behind them. They deal with curses on all levels – from the inconvenient to the deadly – by producing silver amulets crafted for the specific situation. Though Andromeda is skilled, she is not yet licensed when she leaves Jember's protection.

As the novel opens, Andromeda has secured a position as debtera for a wealthy man under a dangerous curse. Magnus is nearing his 21st birthday when he will be expected to take over the family's chocolate business. He is currently under a serious curse with an array of Manifestations. The remote castle in the desert is freezing cold because of the curse. Other Manifestations include a Librarian who can become dangerously aggressive, a hall where it is always snowing, hands that grab at anyone who present at night, and a hyena that kills anyone who meets Magnus's eyes. Andromeda is the 11th debtera to tackle the job. She successfully removes several of the specific Manifestations. Then, she realizes she is out of her depth. She turns to Jember for help. Initially, he refuses. Eventually, he accompanies her to Throne Manor.

Andromeda has never felt love from Jember, but she begins to learn more about herself and her past as she falls in love with Magnus. She has always believed he bought her from her biological parents to serve as student and servant, but Jember actually stole Andromeda after her parents sold her to a brothel when she was only five. He loves her deeply, though he has been careful to raise her to be guarded against the many dangers of the world. Immediately after Andromeda admits her love for Magnus, she learns that Magnus is engaged to a wealthy young woman named Kelela. Magnus insists the engagement was a pledge between children, but Andromeda is hurt. Later, Kelela realizes that Magnus and Andromeda are truly in love, and she breaks off her expectations for a future with Magnus. She further proves her love by volunteering to put herself in danger to give Andromeda a chance to clear Magnus's most serious Manifestation – a hyena that kills anyone who looks him directly in the eye.

Since Jember is the only person Andromeda knows who has faced a hyena, she calls on him for help. Jember reveals a lot, including his love for Andromeda and that he was once in love with Magnus's mother Saba. As the novel comes to an end, Jember dies after helping Andromeda remove Magnus's curse, leaving Magnus and Andromeda free to begin a life together.