A journey to the heart of the empire reveals the depth of the danger. Now recovered from protecting the empire, Dax struggles to understand how to best wield his new control over essence. When an attack comes through the conduit itself, Dax must discover what’s happening before it influences other parts of the empire. Discovering that answer is only the beginning. As Dax travels to finally travels to finally meet the emperor, danger spreads, drawing Dax into power that exceeds even his understanding of essence. He must learn control over his essence before he can exert control over other types, but will there be time to do so before the threat along the border intensifies? Don't miss this exciting Progression Fantasy series from bestsellers Dan Michelson and D.K. Holmberg. This is a coming-of-age magic academy fantasy with a weak-to-strong progression into power.