Elena endures three secretive years loving Lucien, hiding their romance in shadowed corridors while hoping for public recognition on graduation day. Instead, when an arcane heartbeat test pairs Lucien with his wealthy rival Seraphina, he shamelessly disowns Elena on stage, sabotaging her foreign study documents to keep her under his thumb.
Refusing to be kept as a hidden convenience, Elena severs all ties and departs for the prestigious academies of Arcadia to hone her spellcraft. When Lucien finally travels across oceans to grovel for reconciliation, he discovers she has blossomed alongside Nathan, a gentle mage who values her brilliance as an equal.
