Hungry and neglected by their parents, thirteen-year-old Elodi Myo and her older sister escape their barren village, which has been isolated from the outside world by a wall of thorns since anyone could remember.
Outside in the unfamiliar lands, an accident befalls them, tearing Elodi apart from her sister and thrusting her into the world of magic as she’s bound to become a student at Samathali Academy. Without her sister for the first time, Elodi finds that not only is she desperately lonely, but dark secrets lurk beneath the surface. She must develop her magic or face dire consequences.
Vowing to reunite with her sister, Elodi must escape the watchful eye of suspicious teachers and threatening mages by befriending other misfit mages, including one she finds herself falling for, an upperclassman called Wu Lisong.