Introduction

With her siblings in peril because of the magic of the Books of Beginning, her brother concerned about their parents and friends, her sister in the hands of their adversaries, war looming on the horizon, and the tragic fate of the boy she loves, Kate Wibberly's life shouldn't be able to get any worse. But, as Kate knows all too well, fate cares not for what's fair, so when family friend Gabriel returns from a consultation with his village wisewoman, bearing news that could change everything, she can't find it in herself to be too surprised. That doesn't mean that what he has to say is just idle chatter, however; strange phenomena are occurring, and these inexplicable and random acts of magic apparently have everything to do with those who created the Books of Beginning; specifically, the three magicians chosen to transcribe the mystical volumes.

None of the three are one hundred percent trustworthy, and all have hidden agendas of their own. With the Chronicle written by the secretive and somewhat foolish Stanislaus Pym, the Reckoning by a brutal and strategic military commander, and the Atlas by a seer with hidden knowledge, the Wibberlys quickly find themselves and their magic immersed in a dangerous and deadly game that will take then from the ruins of Rhakotis to the island of Manhattan. If they can succeed in unlocking the secrets of the books and those who penned them, they could find the power to take control of their destinies and give their family the happy ending they always wanted. But if they fail, the consequences will be fatal.

To save all they hold dear, Kate, Michael, and Emma must dive deep into both history and their own psyches to separate the truth from the lies, discover who their true enemies are, and hold on to their strength by any means necessary.

Even entering into a precarious alliance with the sorcerer who has been hunting them for so long - Rafe, more commonly known as The Dire Magnus.