Now well into her apprenticeship with magician Emery Thane, Ceony Twill is continuing to discover the joy of paper magic, and secretly hoping that the romance she foresaw blossoming between her and Emery becomes real. But another magician with a penchant for deadly scheming believes that Ceony is harboring a secret, and he vows to uncover it, no matter the cost.

Throughout her studies, Ceony Twill has harbored a secret, one she's kept from even her mentor, Emery Thane. She's discovered how to practice forms of magic other than her own--an ability long thought impossible. While all seems set for Ceony to complete her apprenticeship and pass her upcoming final magician's exam, life quickly becomes complicated. To avoid favoritism, Emery sends her to another paper magician for testing, a Folder who despises...