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We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by ti in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield

—Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Chapter One

Desperate Times

Kaical fla and her vision swam, there was no possibility of tears

Auriolden manor from which the Lynburn sorcerers had ruled her town for centuries, was surrounded by a ring of fire that never spread too far or burned coe sea, separating her from the house

There’s nothing in there for you, said Ash Lynburn, one of the few good sorcerers left alive and the one sorcerer as connected to her, one

You don’t know that, Kami told him

I do know that, said Ash And if you would admit it, you know it too He’s not in there He’s not anywhere He’s dead

Ash’s e into her every pore The connection between thelass of water: everything that had been clear beco distorted There was no way to separate the two of them, no matter how different they were or how poorly they mixed

Even though Kami didn’t want to be connected to Ash, and he didn’t want to be connected to her They had linked because they had to, because as source and sorcerer together they had ical power that could be used to save their friends and protect their home

They had been linked for over aany easier

Kami had alanted to be in control of herself, but she had never wanted anyone else to try to control her Ash did not s were constant obstacles in her path She felt fenced in on every side

Worse than that, she felt Ash’s misery and despair, heavy as an anchor around her neck He had no hope, and she did not have hope enough for both of them

What was she supposed to say about Ash’s half brother Jared, her first source, the one she had loved, the boy she had been linked to for so !”?

It was her own mother who had told her he was dead

They had all known that so terrible must have happened

Rob Lynburn and all the sorcerers on his side, the ones anted a return to the days when sorcerers sacrificed people for power, had beaten them in a battle and taken over the manor Ash’s mother Lillian, the only adult sorcerer left alive on their side, and Kami’s little brother Ten had both been captured in Auri to plan a rescue rip so he would not be able to get away froh the door of the inn Lillian had always carried herself like the leader of the town before, but not then She had see a speech she had onlyout tidings of death, that Jared was lost

Ten had stoodin Dad’s arms, but he had told his tale later, reluctantly, in sh barely parted lips: how he had been held in a little room up in the attic, and the door had sla him to run Rob had been there too; Ten could barely speak about it, but they knew Jared could not have escaped, that Jared would have had to stop Rob fro child

They knew no more until Kami’s mother Claire, as allowed entry into Aurimere House because she was a favored and submissive servant to the sorcerers, told Kami what she had found in that attic room

Her mother had hardly spoken to Kami in weeks

The silence between them was like the cold careful quiet that had fallen over their town since Rob had won the day and taken theht rush in and drown them all

Kami had beco had once been She sat at the table, eating in silence as her mother made breakfast for the boys It was a shock when her mother spoke

“Please be careful today”

“Why?” Kami asked softly When herher hands shake as she did so She raised her voice, de an answer “Why?”

Claire flinched, her shoulders hunched “Rob deive him one”

“I remember,” said Kami

“Now he’s the lord of the manor, and his word is law”

We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by ti in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield

—Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Chapter One

Desperate Times

Kaical fla and her vision swam, there was no possibility of tears

Auriolden manor from which the Lynburn sorcerers had ruled her town for centuries, was surrounded by a ring of fire that never spread too far or burned coe sea, separating her from the house

There’s nothing in there for you, said Ash Lynburn, one of the few good sorcerers left alive and the one sorcerer as connected to her, one

You don’t know that, Kami told him

I do know that, said Ash And if you would admit it, you know it too He’s not in there He’s not anywhere He’s dead

Ash’s e into her every pore The connection between thelass of water: everything that had been clear beco distorted There was no way to separate the two of them, no matter how different they were or how poorly they mixed

Even though Kami didn’t want to be connected to Ash, and he didn’t want to be connected to her They had linked because they had to, because as source and sorcerer together they had ical power that could be used to save their friends and protect their home

They had been linked for over aany easier

Kami had alanted to be in control of herself, but she had never wanted anyone else to try to control her Ash did not s were constant obstacles in her path She felt fenced in on every side