Sixteen-year-old Sawyer Satoya-Sabinsky has it all. He's a genius in the wizarding chant language Silversong and the most popular boy in Willard Academy, a prestigious school for aristocratic wizards. He can afford to hex idiots out of his way and choose the prettiest girls. When winds of change sweep over Willard and non-aristocratic students are admitted to study there, Sawyer refuses to accept it. He arranges a resistance movement, but his arrogance rapidly gains him enemies, none more dangerous than the Paraforce, a wizarding terrorist organization whose fighters use Shadowsong, a terrifying chant language that Silversong can't block, no matter how good you are at it. And the Paraforce might not even be Sawyer's greatest challenge - it might be Mia, an eccentric, crippled girl, who poses uncomfortable questions and kindles that aching secret Sawyer thought he had buried forever.