Samantha Devanger, after years of petitions, has been accepted into the Amber Citadel to study the natural forces of the universe. As a new initiate she will learn how to manipulate the latticework of magic that surrounds and binds all things. In doing so she will be able to carve out a life she can call her own. But even at the Great Amber Citadel Samantha struggles to find her path to independence and true freedom. Her dreams are haunted by a mysterious man, a secret lover from her youth. A man who now holds prestige and power at the Citadel and may hold the key to unlocking her future. As she uncovers the ties that bind her, a mysterious prophecy is uncovered and Samantha's true fight for her freedom begins. In learning the truth and breaking from the bonds that hold her back she may destroy everything she ever loved or become a pawn to greater powers vying for control of her world.