She was powerless.
Now her spirit is bound to the most deadly student in the five kingdoms.

Magic is prestige at Arcanis Academy—and those without power are nothing. Elira Thorne shows up at the gates as a joke, a mistake, a crestdless girl with no spark of magic in her blood.

But during the academy's magical Power Awakening, something goes horribly awry.

A forbidden mark blazes on her chest. The skies tremble. And a feared voice utters:

"The Soul-Bond has awakened."

In front of the whole academy, she is claimed by Kael Valen—the cold, unyielding Void Prince, wielder of dark magic and heir to a kingdom that was ravaged.

Now, their souls are tied.
Their fates entwined.
And their bond can be the difference between an ancient prophecy that has the magical world reduced to ashes.

But power always costs something.
As Kael's enemies draw near, and Elira's magic begins to awake in terrible forms, one thing is for certain:

She wasn't picked by accident.
She was picked for war.

The blaze of the practice yard shouted more loudly, acrid sparks flying in moonlight as Elira stood at the center, a crown of ancient runes surrounding her. Her breath fogged in the cold night air, yet her skin seemed to burn as if it was being incinerated by the flames emanating from the sigils etched on the stone beneath her feet.


Kael stood at the edge, arms crossed, cloak whipping with phantom gust. "Don't hold back," he growled, voice low. "It will get stronger if you do."


Elira gritted her teeth. Energy pulsed from her chest, where the soul bond mark still shimmered faintly beneath her collar. Her control was improving, but the light within her was no gentle thing. It clawed to be free, burning hotter the more she tried to contain it.


"You're sweating through three layers of resistance wards," Kael added dryly. "That's progress."


Chapter 30 - The Blazing Sigil