Arden was left in the village by a dying mage, who never returned. With no way out of the village on his own, he had always held onto the hope that one day his magic would awaken and give him access to his spheres. But he’s about to turn eighteen and it’s never come. Instead, he’s settled into his lot as a sarcastic and quick-witted innkeeper. That all changes one night when his old flame, who escaped the village to become a mage’s anchor, returns. Ard’s life is about to go through some dramatic changes, and he’s not ready for them. Too bad, with magic comes responsibility and Ard needs to adapt quickly because he’s making more enemies than friends with his glib tongue. Thankfully, he’s got some help along the way. Because he’ll need it. As the most powerful mage in the nation, he’s about to be thrown headfirst into the elite of the kingdom and a few jokes won’t stop a sword.

Ard and his anchors are off to the capital, but not without his Congratulations\-you’re\-a\-mage horse. Ard has to figure out what it means to be a noble as he struggles with the politics of the capital, fierce beasts and even fiercer rivals. All the while a goddess slips into his household as the staff and works to watch over him and his mother. Ard has his work cut out for him, but is the capital ready for him? He’s determined to make a mockery of fashion and see what all he can get away with as a not so subtle ‘screw you’ to the new rules he’s been placed under.

Ard is hunkering down in the mountains for the winter as the war cools with the snow. That means it’s time to practice his magic and stay out of trouble. Well… Ard might not be entirely proficient at the last one. At the very least, he’s staying away from the city and his penchant for annoying other people. Except that doesn’t work out so well when he’s forced to attend a ball held by the Brighthavens, though they’ll certainly regret forcing Ard’s attendance. No matter how it goes down, you’re sure that Ard is going to have as much fun with it as he can.

Winter was supposed to be a time for Ard to relax and train; instead, he finds himself repairing a ruined city. The battle at Faylin has made waves, and people are starting to have expectations for Ard and, more importantly, for Gwen. The Elder Trial is set, and Ard heads back into the den of vipers that is the capital. While his mother prepares to become an Elder and take over House Aldis, Ard is plotting and planning to ensure he doesn't get caught up in Carmilla's machinations this time around. In the far distance, you can almost hear the drums of war warming up as the frost thaws. While Avente fights over their leadership, Garrish is preparing their invasion.

Ard stürzt sich mit einem explosiven Start in den Krieg. Die Garrish-Armee marschiert durch den Pass zur zerstörten Chillwind-Festung. Die einzigen Verteidiger sind Ard und seine Gefolgschaft, die bis zum Eintreffen von Verstärkung durchhalten. Doch seine Auszeichnungen sind zu überraschend und er erregt die Aufmerksamkeit des Königs, nur um General Trevis zu Hilfe zu rufen und Ard auf eine Mission hinter die feindlichen Linien zu schicken. Er soll die Bevölkerung des rivalisierenden Königreichs zum Aufstand aufstacheln.

Ard and his companions are being hunted by King Martin, who has gone completely scorched earth on his own kingdom in an effort to root them out. The lovable mage finds a quiet spot in the uninhabitable wilds of Garrish to train his soul magic—only nothing ever goes quite according to Ard’s plan. Driven out by King Martin’s escalating mania, Ard must now go through the king to reach the goddess behind it all.

The war is over, but the fallout is palpable. Ard finds himself back in the capital of Avente as tensions rise, lines are drawn, and he wants absolutely nothing to do with it. All Ard desires is some relaxation. After visiting his family, he finds a convenient excuse to escape to Zenovia. However, he soon finds himself entangled in a different political beast. This one is far more entertaining for Arden, who is trapped in the Zenovian palace while a mysterious force is assassinating potential heirs. Ard is thrilled by the murder mystery unfolding before his very eyes. At the same time, he is trying to protect Eva from becoming one of the victims. The situation will require Arden to tap into his burgeoning powers and understand himself on a deeper level. For Arden, this might be one of the most significant challenges he has faced to date. Thankfully, he is not alone. He has three goddesses, four anchors, and a princess by his side to help him direct his power along the way.

Ard is back in Avente, but it seems the ripples of war are still flowing and he finds himself in the crosshairs of a group looking to take advantage of two kingdoms with their leadership removed. At the same time, Ard joins the Enclave's Elders to prove a point to them and everyone that he's not to be triffled with. But he can't just let a group that tried to come after him go and Ard decides to go on one last mission to remove all threats to his budding family.