At Noxvaris Arcane University, power determines who rules, bloodlines determine who matters, and weakness is an invitation to be destroyed. Zyrelthia Vornelle has no intention of belonging to any of them. A mysterious transfer from rival Kharzoveth Imperial University, she arrives with sealed records, an unreadable past, and magic that refuses to fit within the laws of the arcane world. She speaks little, trusts no one, and keeps everyone at a distance. To her, emotions are liabilities—and attachment is a weakness she cannot afford. Then she meets Deyvran Khaeloris. Ruthless, arrogant, and dangerously captivating, he has never encountered a challenge he couldn't conquer. Until her. She doesn't fear him, desire his attention, or care about the reputation that makes everyone else bend. And the more she pushes him away, the more determined he becomes to discover what lies beneath her frozen composure. But Noxvaris holds secrets that should have remained buried. As forbidden magic stirs and unseen forces begin closing in, Zyrelthia's control over her power is tested—and so is the distance she's spent years building between herself and the world. Deyvran wants to uncover her secrets. Zyrelthia cannot afford to let him. Because beneath her cold exterior lies something far more dangerous than an untouchable heart. And if she ever allows herself to feel again, the consequences may be more devastating than either of them can imagine. Some hearts are hardened by pain. Others become the very thing the world should fear.