His entire life Ahvram Goldfinch has tried to prove he’s useful, but in the Syndicate family of The Shimmering City that’s not easy to do. It doesn’t help that Ahvram is a null, a mage with a venomous aura that steals magic from whatever he touches. Recently just walking the streets of the City is a danger, seeing as the new Child Queen has changed everything. When the opportunity comes for him to prove himself, Ahvram is quick to jump to the task. It was supposed to be a simple mission, but when the deal goes wrong, he finds himself captured by the PeaceKeepers and handed over to the vicious Child Queen

Just a few months after Ahvram is taken from the Syndicate and installed in the Child Queen’s court, an all but untraceable burglar graduates from theft to murder. In order to help her catch the criminal, spy master Tzulie enlists both Ahvram and Dominic to help her. While investigating the most recent break-in, the brothers realize their enemy is specifically targeting ex-Syndicate businesses. Their murderer is either someone who used to work for their organization or someone with a vendetta against them. With their target turning violent, it’s a race against the clock for the trio to capture the thief. But a criminal this skilled doesn’t take kindly to being pursued.