"In the Two Thousand Three Hundred Forty Forth Year After the Great Burning and the accompanying Ruin of the World..." ...so begins the tale of Julian Deltolle, a merchant princess living in a world recovered from a great catastrophe in its past. She harbors a dark secret. Julian can do 'Cast' magic, an ability forbidden to any woman of her time by those in authority upon pain of death...or worse. For Julian it may be worse. Once it's discovered, Julian's talents mark her as a target for control by the world's governments and the church, and an epic tale of survival and mystery unfolds. Determining who is an enemy and who is an ally in a world controlled by magic is not a simple task, especially for a young woman still struggling to understand and control her gifts. Julian's journey to discover the true purpose of her life, the depth of her abilities, and why she is being hunted by those in power is set against a ruined world where just stepping outside the protection of city walls can result in instant death.