Josephine Parr has always been an outcast.

In her tiny fishing village, they whisper that she's a witch. After she unintentionally sets a barn on fire and her own father locks her away, Josephine has given up hope of ever escaping. But when a mysterious elvish man named Kiro Roko summons her to Stoneshire Academy, Josephine's life changes forever.

At Stoneshire, she learns she isn't a witch but a mage-born with innate magical abilities. The problem? The magical gift is supposed to run in families, and Josephine's bloodline has no trace of it. With only one year to prove she belongs at the academy, Josephine struggles to catch up. She can barely read or write, let alone master the advanced spellwork that seems to come easily to her classmates.

To make matters worse, the arrogant scholar, Kiro Roko, is assigned as her mentor. But as the two spend long hours together in the castle's grand library, Josephine begins to uncover hidden truths about herself, Kiro, and the ancient castle's haunted history.

With new friends pulling her in one direction and the charming Elias Blackburn catching her eye, Josephine must balance her desire for belonging with her growing responsibilities. She must prove that she's worthy to keep her place at the academy, or be cast out to face a future more uncertain than her past.

Stoneshire Academy isn't just a school; it's her last chance.