Torn apart, both body and soul, and bound to the figure and memories of the Fifth Prince of the Empire of Kell, Mateo has been thrust into the center of a political maelstrom. His siblings want him dead so they can claim the throne, the scheming nobility intend to use him and cast him aside, and his father, the Emperor, fully intends to throw him at every impossible challenge he can find. Yet Mateo was never one to back down from a challenge and he isn’t about to start now. With his Feather by his side and a growing knowledge of the ancient and powerful art of sorcery, Mateo is determined to do what is necessary to establish himself, and the memory of his friend, Isaac Cassius Kell, in the empire’s seat of power. But Mateo isn’t the only one seeking power. A mysterious order of magicians who desperately seek the ancient magics roams the shadows of the continent, and whether he likes it or not, their paths are bound to cross violently. Together with Rose, Eric, and a strange young elf from the north, Mateo will have to plumb the depths of an ancient tower, coming face to face with the cost of power.