Wild fire threatens Los Angeles again, but this time there is something unusual about the fires. Alex Ascher finds herself caught up in a power struggle between factions she barely knew existed. Danger lurks around every corner and at every tick of the clock.And then her mother shows up with an ominous warning that Alex has no choice but to ignore. Crossing an ancient evil like Mahlat is never a winning bet, but the alternative could be worse than death.