Only monsters summon fire by magic. It's a sin against the sun god and a crime against the king. The punishment is death.

But when sixteen-year-old Mina discovers fire magic runs in her family's blood, it's just the beginning of the secrets her father has been keeping from her. When her father is murdered, this half-starved peasant girl finds herself on the run--pursued across the desert by the soldiers and guards of the noble Houses. To survive, she knows she'll have to abandon her past and learn the way of the sword. But only boys are allowed to carry a blade. There's only one solution...

Disguised as a young nobleman, Mina must make a new life for herself in the heart of her enemies. But she knows she can't keep up the masquerade forever. With time running out, which will she choose to find--the truth or revenge?