When her seventeenth summer solstice arrives, Brienna desires only two things: to master her passion and to be chosen by a patron. While some at the renowned Magnalia House in Valenia seem to be naturally gifted at one of the five passions—art, music, dramatics, wit, or knowledge—Brienna struggled to find hers.

Then, Brienna’s greatest fear comes true: She is left without a patron.

Months later, her life takes an unexpected turn when a disgraced lord—the charming Cartier Évariste—offers her patronage. When Brienna reluctantly accepts, she quickly learns that there is much more to Cartier’s story. He’s part of a dangerous plot to overthrow the king of a rival land and restore the rightful queen, and her magic, to the throne. With war on the horizon, Brienna must choose a side. Can she help her patron without betraying the world she knows?