Eira Vance has one year to survive the Embermark Trials, or her family loses everything that's left. The Trials are supposed to be solo. She's been assigned three partners: Rafe, who has been to three schools and burned down two of them. Kes, court-bred, honest about exactly why he's here. And Solan, who threw his first trial on purpose and won't explain why. Eira assumes it's a trap. It mostly is. But the Embermark Trials run three rounds, and each round takes something from whoever loses — and Eira's team keeps winning. Then a mark appears on her skin that has no business being on a scholarship girl's arm, and the mage-court's inspector stops pretending to be neutral. The mark is a claim. A court house claimed Eira's family's land seventy years ago and never let go. Whoever holds Eira holds the estate. Her three partners have other plans — and one of them involves a burned tent, a forged ward, and Eira walking home.
