To the city of Nexis, where magefolk in their white-walled towers rule uneasily over a restive race of Morals, a young girl comes to learn the magic arts. Aurian, a quicksilver swordswoman, has inherited Earth-magic from her mother and Fire-magic from her father. Unawakened within her lie far greater powers, coveted by the Archmage Miathan, who intends to possess her. But Aurian bravely flouts the Mages' Code and takes a mortal lover.

Maddened by rage and jealousy, the corrupt Archmage schemes to destroy her, unleashing cataclysmic forces from a lost age. Aurian is the only Mage strong enough to oppose Miathan, but to do so she must take up forbidden weapons of long-lost magic, at grave peril of her own destruction . . . or the annihilation of her very world.

"Rich, colorful and infinitely enchanting . . . Will give enormous pleasure to fantasy readers."--David Gemmell