For some girls, age eighteen is the magical age of freedom and independence. For Aerys, turning eighteen means an arranged marriage to a man she's never met before, leaving the only home she's ever known, and accidentally discovering things she never knew about the world, about her family, and about herself, things that have been lurking beneath the surface all along. However, each new discovery brings new questions with it, and the answers could lead in some very dangerous directions. She and her fiancé, Dmitri, must decide whether or not to find the answers to these questions and what to do with the knowledge they gain. To change the game instead of living by others' rules, they must look beyond what they see.

Look Beyond What You See

<p>The two young men begin to circle each other, sizing each other up and examining the training area as they do so. My heart is in my throat. I do not like this situation at all. I ve positioned myself in a corner in the hopes that they ll keep their attacks away from me. I wish just as strongly that we d use this time on targets or something. Did Wesley not tell Giacomo that, while I have improved immensely in various skills since learning of my magical endowment, I am nowhere near ready for any sort of combat? But what would Wesley know of that, unless Dmitri told him?</p>

Chapter 36 Fire and Water