Rory Mason is a new sophomore in High School. She is expected to do a lot of things: make friends, join a club, and get a boyfriend--all the things' girls normal would do while in High School! However, she wanted to do everything in her power to avoid them. Dealing with loss, guilt, and loneliness--Rory must learn that life has so much to live for.

Ara lives underground. She has for seven years, since she was nine. Evil has entered the world and has overthrown it; killing Ara's parents. She is a fighter in the underground resistance, but fire has scarred her memory. She is haunted by the death of her parents by fire, and she determines she will not let the fire win. Meanwhile Evil takes over, and Ara is thrown into conflict-save everyone she cares about, or her fear of fire. The only way to save everyone is to destroy the First Flame-but can she?