Sophia DeWinter is a young illusionist bound by a cruel blood bond to her uncle, the Collector, and desperate to escape his control. Her only hope lies in Killmarth College, an elite magical academy that requires hopefuls to survive a series of deadly trials known as the Ordeals. With her magic weaker than most, Sophia teams up with Alden Locke, a powerful and frustratingly attractive botanist, just to stay alive. As the challenges grow more brutal, competitors begin dying outside the trials, turning the competition into a hunt. Forced to sharpen her abilities and instincts, Sophia must figure out who she can trust before she’s next. Freedom is within reach — if the Ordeals don’t claim her life first.