Allie Norton never believed she was anyone special, why would she? She was an outsider on all accounts, even her stepfamily didn't want her. But when Allie meets her new next door neighbor, Mark Duval, he opens her eyes to the hidden world of alchemy. When a recruiter for the Alchemist's Academy comes calling, Allie is more than thrilled to answer. With Mark in tow, she braves this strange new world, hidden by magic and secrets. It doesn't take long to figure out nothing is as it is supposed to be. The art of Alchemy is not taught, but thrown at the students with force and cruelty. Students are pitted against one another in a battle of houses. They fight for dominance, while fear and hatred for each other are used to facilitate their alchemist creations. If you can't cut it, the President of the Academy, Verity, will announce your retirement. Allie and Mark must find a way through the mysteries of the academy before they too are retired.