Everson is brilliant, ingenious, and yet, he feels broken. Cursed with a disability, he dreams of nothing more than being useful.  Quinn is bold, defiant, and will do anything to protect her brother. When Everson is sent to an academy of magic and engineering, Quinn joins a military school to remain near her brother. However, things within the fabled institutions are not what they seem. Beneath a mantra of good intentions and the objective of a better future, spies and conspiracies lurk. Quinn becomes embroiled in a struggle she doesn't understand - one with dire consequences as her training shifts from difficult to deadly. Her relentless determination might help her survive. If she only knew whom she could trust. Within the other school, Everson learns about a dangerous power known as Chaos. Unable to wield this magic, he focuses on melding Chaos with science, dreaming up inventions that would shape the future. Perceptive, imaginative, and curious, his endeavors lead him to a revelation that could change the world. And then, he discovers the truth.