Since dropping out of Neverthorn Academy, after the death of her mother, Harlow Dragon has been working as an enchanted-jewel thief. The last thing she expects is for the school to make an offer she can't refuse: come back to Neverthorn and join seven others with secret magical abilities in House Phoenix. There, they'll be trained in potions, rune casting and combat. Because Nocta - a powerful dark wizard who has been plaguing the magical realm for decades - has the mortal world in his sights, and the students of House Phoenix are all that stand in his way. But Harlow failed at Neverthorn once before. And nothing reminds her of this more than tall, brooding Typhon - Harlow's old classmate and nemesis - who is now the professor tasked with unlocking her own, special power. Except Harlow is sure that Typhon and the other professors are hiding a dark secret.