Book excerpt: For more than three centuries, the ancient city of Vasiriah has been cut off from the rest of the world by a deadly magical barrier. Graduate mage and scholar Jaas Senneco finally finds a way through it, but quickly realizes she’s trapped. There are hundreds more barriers inside absorbing her magic, forcing her to rely on wits and determination to survive. When Jaas allies with a local named Arico, it becomes clear that they must learn from each other. He's one of the few people who can pass through the barriers safely, a talent which could get him killed if discovered by the Sustained. Together they're swept up in a plot for control of the city, encountering unending dangers: a relentless assassin, a monstrous giant, an inescapable spymaster. While fighting a guerilla war alongside dwarven allies, they must find crucial answers to free the city from the Sustained. How could people be alive after all this time with no magic? Why can Arico cross the barriers while others can't? Will Jaas be able to escape before the city tears itself apart?