Magic. For Mieshka Renaud, the word is as foreign as space travel. Although three Mages live in her city, fueling a defensive shield that keeps everyone safe from the Swarzgard-Westran War, her knowledge of them comes only from a brief spotlight in her high school curriculum, and thanks to an inter-city move, she missed most of those classes. In a single day, everything she thought she knew is thrown on its side. She has magic, and soon, the city will depend on her to use it.

She’s back, and she’s not alone. It's been three months since Mieshka ‘Meese’ Renaud exploded her Fire Element into the sky and burned the capital's shield back into life, and her Element has finally returned. Winter break has been filled with firearms lessons, hand-to-hand training, and clandestine tours through the tunnels of Ryarne's secret underground city. But time is running out. With the war pressing ever closer to her doorstep, Mieshka has other worries—especially when the city's most powerful Mage starts gunning for her blood.

Genetically engineered from birth, Karin Makos’s powers have made her the Alliance’s most wanted person. With her sister still missing, and only a cryptic notebook left behind for clues, the mystery of her past is going to take a lot more time and resources than they have to unravel it. And there’s a bigger problem looming. Keeping their promise to heal Ethan’s stepfather and the rest of the people on the Ozark puts them right past Caishen station and its Alliance allies—and there might be another force on their tail. After the crew split apart on a wild chase that puts Karin in the hot seat, it’ll take all of their strength and ingenuity to bring them back together. With enemies gathering in the wings, a desperate, heavy-handed station commander hard on their tail, and the Shadows an ever-present threat, they must race against the odds and scramble to fight their way out.

Together again, and ready to bring the system to its knees. Karin Makos has spent the last two months running from one thing or another—but all that's about to change. Her sister's back, and Nomiki's ready to grab their problems by the horns, throw them on their backs, and rip into them with her modified carbon steel blades. With the backing of the Fallon Empire and a promising new lead, the two are determined to reach down into the mystery of their past and pull out its secrets, once and for all. But they aren't the only ones on the move. And looking may uncover more than even they could have bargained for.