Zhava is doing well in her new life: she has many friends, she's learning to use her magical abilities, and she's been promoted to Novice rank. But when everything seems to be going her way, tragedy strikes: her parents are kidnapped and sold into slavery - and her former fiancé is behind it. Transferred to the command of the King's guard, Zhava and her friends must retake the farmstead and rescue her family. But the kidnapping is not that simple. High Priest Viekoosh, follower of an evil God, is manipulating things behind the scenes. He's gathering an army of cult followers in the desert to start a war between the kingdoms, and he's employed a pair of mercenaries to capture Zhava: a woman who wields water with as much force as Zhava controls fire, and a powerful giant almost impervious to magic. With time running out to rescue her parents, and her friends in danger from mercenary thugs, Zhava must learn to balance sword with fire, security with danger...and her mission to rescue her family against the lives of her friends.