Born a fire mage, destined for something greater.

For hundreds of years, Sombria has lived in peace thanks to the delicate balance the Council fosters between those with magic and those without. But unrest is brewing under the surface of Sombria, and the Council's tenuous hold may be on the verge of collapsing.

All Alara ever wanted was to become a soldier, fighting to protect Sombria from the bruya rebels that threaten its borders with their chaotic magic and lawlessness. In order to succeed, she must first conquer her worst fear--her own innate magical abilities.

Quenti, raised to hate the oppressive thumb of the Council, has only ever wanted a life of peace away from those who wish to control her. When her abilities are revealed, she finds herself at the center of a world she grew up despising, where magic is suppressed under the illusion of control. And her only means of escape may lie in trusting those she grew up doubting most.

When Alara is given one final chance to prove she's worthy of being called a Mage of Sombria, the key to her success may lie within the untrusting Quenti. And Quenti doesn't plan on making things easy. Though as their two lives come crashing together, trusting each other may be the only choice they have to survive what's coming.