For the first seventeen years of her life, Lena knew nothing but cruelty. Held captive in a palace in the desert, Lena was taught to use her singular powers in combat so that she could eventually become the champion of her despised captor, Lord Daimonas. But when a mysterious fellow prisoner helps Lena escape, she flees to the northern country of Aurea. There she finds sanctuary among the Order of the Aureate Guard, a group of men and women who have powers just as Lena does, though Lena's unique abilities quickly set her apart as one of the most gifted of the Order. In Aurea, Lena also meets Hadrian, a boy her own age and of similar talent. Though they quickly grow very close, the diabolical plot of Lena's former captor threatens to tear them apart. In the face of tragedy and temptation, Lena and Hadrian must each decide where their allegiances will truly lie.