A thousand years ago, a dying race of Immortals left behind an enduring legacy: the Ascendants, mortal men and women capable of binding hundreds or even thousands of others to their will. Together these "Bound" and their magic form the foundation of nearly every society in the world. But everything is about to change. A few rare mortals possess the ability to channel magic without an Ascendant bond, and these and "Unbound and " renegades finally have a leader: a gifted young sorceress bent on freeing those who share her power, whatever the cost.