In a world where Magehunters track and kill rogue mages, the lives of those who can manipulate the Power are often cut brutally short. When these hunters find the young Jace, they discover that he is a child gifted with tremendous and uncontrolled abilities. Jace quickly learns that his magic means he will join the Academy-and become a Magehunter himself-or he will die. In the moments before he's ripped from his home, he promises his father that he will survive no matter the cost. Enrolled in the Academy by his new mentor, Jace struggles to learn to protect himself and master his abilities while also trying to remain true to the Academy's strict charter or risk being hunted once more. Survival, however, takes its toll on him, the cost mounting as he tries to keep himself and his new friends alive. When the cost becomes too great, he must choose between doing what he must to survive and doing what he knows is right.