Cinnamon ‘Cinn’ Saunders has learnt a lot since his arrival at the Aurelia Arcanum Institute of Esoteric Sciences. He's learnt he’s a shadowslipper, capable of moving between realms. He's learnt that he's expected to be the solution to the ever-growing waves of deadly umbraphage attacks. He's learnt that cocky French men with pretty, punchable faces can be fun to kiss. After Cinn's explosive arrival into his world, Julien Montaigne has also learnt a lot. His dead sister Béatrice was a member of the terrorist group, the Arcane Purifiers; Béatrice may or may not have returned to them as the world’s ugliest cat; English men with a fondness for beanie hats make him go weak at the knees. Trouble is stirring, and Cinn, Julien, Darcy and Elliot are about to be caught in the cross-fire between the consortium and the Arcane Purifiers. As dangers circle like sharks, the four friends must unravel the threads of the mysteries they’re wrapped up in and choose which side of the war they belong to before their enemies close in.