Ember is dreaming in stories. Each night, her art comes to life, shaped by a power she doesn't understand. And always, there is the same dream: a young girl, reaching out, asking for help Ember can't provide. She can't ignore the call any longer.
Ember sets out on a journey that leads her to a group of unlikely companions-a brilliant librarian, a plant lover struggling with his failing power, and a sharp-tongued protector who experiences the world in ways others cannot. But they are not the only ones searching.
Rune, a professor at the academy, is unraveling. Haunted by grief, she follows the path he left behind, chasing answers through a world where the very fabric of power is beginning to fracture. She and Alea-rivals and allies-have been tasked by the council to research the domain's power fluctuations before mass panic ensues.
As all their paths draw closer, one truth becomes impossible to ignore:
Some things cannot be held onto, and some things were never truly lost.