Book excerpt: Nearly twenty years ago, the Slates had come to Omneth and liberated the people from the tyrannical rule of the Ràej. Now, higher magic has been eliminated, punishable by death if found, and lesser magic has been equalized among the people. The Academy is where everyone wants to go. This is the first step to being able to work as an Official to help protect Omneth. Terhese has worked her whole life towards getting into the Academy but worries she may be magicless. It isn't until the Academy Ball that her worries grow to real fears when she finds she is not lacking magic at all, but may possess the same higher magic the Ràej had.