Magic made of time and space. A hidden world of epic proportions. Lives she never meant to end.
Where Ember Slade goes, destruction follows. She maimed her sister; she murdered her foster parents. And as much as she would love to believe it was all a fluke, a one-off, whenever the power blacks out, so does she. Haunted by her past, she isolates herself in Dallas for years, never getting close to anyone, doing whatever it takes to avoid causing harm again.
And then the soldiers come.
Ambushed on her nightly train, she's stolen away to the island kingdom of Nysa, where she learns that she is the last alloy of their hidden world, these accidents are due to her untapped abilities, and isolation is no longer an option.
In exchange for her allegiance to Nysa, the soldiers offer to teach her to control her powers. Desperate to finally live a life free of death and pain-to return to her sister-Ember takes the deal.
But in Nysa, not all is at it seems. The queen is consumed by envy. The nymphs are driven by revenge. The man on the beach won't stop lying to her. And the trapped, defenseless Princess Ademure is begging for her help to escape all of it, exactly like her sister once did.
Wary of how lethal her abilities have been and can be, Ember refuses the princess's wishes...until she learns of the queen's plans to wage a war with another magical kingdom-starting with the sacrifice of her own daughter.
No longer able to idly sit by, Ember must save the princess and escape the island before this war begins. Still a novice at her craft, she'll risk everyone's lives just to save one...
...and discover whether lightning ever strikes twice.
With magic of Spanish and Greek origins, captivating political intrigue, tantalizing family mysteries, and endearing friendships, this debut "urban epic" fantasy novel is perfect for readers who enjoy stories of finding your power when the world seems against you.