All Thea wants is freedom and a sense of belonging. Trapped in Exile along with all of the other elite magic users, she can't fathom a life beyond her confinement, let alone remember the life she had before it. As Thea's dreams offer glimpses into her past, she tries to piece together the clues to who she is. When a mysterious man visits her dreams claiming to be a friend, Thea wonders if he can be trusted. Does her dream stalker have answers to her forgotten past?

After a surprise opportunity arises to free everyone in Exile, Thea seizes it, even though it means putting herself directly in the path of the Crimson King. When the trials commence, Thea struggles with the brooding Captain of the Crimson Guard and contestants who will stop at nothing to see her fail.

As the trials and the secrets of her past collide, Thea struggles to understand her new reality. Thea must find a way to unravel her past and win the trials or condemn herself and everyone in Exile to death.