Growing up outside of St Vladimir's, Aster Faye had long accepted that while she was Moroi, she wasn't made to be amongst the likes of Rose or Lissa, that she was a simple country girl destined to practice her air magic in secret, and pine over Mason like a hopeless school girl. At least until Lissa begins to be groomed as queen, and a spot in St. Vladimir's opens up, and Aster - wanting to be closer to Mason, takes it. It's a risky choice since she's self-taught in her magic and thus wholly unpredictable, but learning is never easy. Right?