As the daughter of Nolderan’s most fearsome mage, Reyna Ashbourne has only ever faced two obstacles: her father’s wrath for slacking with her magic studies, and those who shun her for loving Arluin, a necromancer’s son. But Reyna’s life takes a bitter turn when Arluin’s exiled father returns to exact his vengeance upon the city. With the living dead plaguing the streets, the boy she loves is forced to choose between his heart and his blood. When those dearest to her perish, Reyna vows to become as powerful as her father. But the path of the magi is no easy one, and she must first pass her Mage Trials to prove she has the required strength of heart, mind, and magic. Yet the shadows of the past rise once more, threatening to tear Nolderan asunder. And so too her heart.