Nick Shamus has lived his entire life in the slums of Horner and has chosen to spend it as a lying, cheating, conniving thief. Unbeknownst to Nick, his life is about to be turned upside down when he discovers that he’s blessed with enchanting abilities. Unfortunately for Nick, this also makes him a wanted man. Ester Rayther, a mercenary, hasn't had the best run of luck lately. Her dad is dead, and she's out of a job. Looking to start anew, Ester ventures to the independent state of Seaport, where she meets the mysterious Berend Finch—a man looking to uncover a twenty-year-old conspiracy that could be the death of her. Notorious for all the wrong reasons, Weston Fairchild has spent the last two decades drinking away his sorrows. So, when asked to muster up an army to rebel against King Antony, the man who killed his wife and child, the chance to see the king's head on a spike is an opportunity he cannot pass up. Samuel Guidry revels in the fact that he is the smartest pupil at the University of Horner. But his arrogance is about to meet its match when he encounters Princess Catalina Woller, a woman with deadly powers not known for her compassion. With the paths these characters find themselves on, secrets will be revealed, old powers brushed aside for new, and the world as it’s known will be changed forever.