Only those who have powers live in Tempest—one of only two settlements left after war tore through the world.

The Hallows is a walled city, hell-bent on extinguishing magic and all who possess it.

Winterly Elder has been a prisoner of The Hallows since birth for reasons unknown to her. All she knows is that strange things happen around her.

But when she escapes and finds herself in the care of a new friend, Ingram, she embarks on a journey to learn who she is and who her parents are. Until Ingram is abducted during a raid.

But instead of going after Ingram, she is forced to attend the Elder Academy of Enchanted Arts and Defense. She must find a way to join the Defenders of Tempest and enlist their help in rescuing Ingram before he is killed, all while struggling with her growing powers, knowing who to trust, and realizing that the fate of her new world rests on her shoulders. Will she save the only family she has or will Ingram and her new world turn to ash?