Elora walks into the Assembly knowing full well that her chances of becoming anything other than a powerless Club, her family's symbol, are close to zero, and she is grateful for it. She has no desire to become a Diamond, with their supernatural intelligence, or a Heart with elemental magic, or Gods forbid, one of those pretentious special-powered Spades. She has always been resigned to serving the symbols she loathes, hoping to escape poverty and provide a better life for her mother. But when the Assembly brands her as a Spade, Elora's world is upended. Thrust into a deadly training base where survival is a test of will, she must navigate a world of privilege and power while grappling with her own prejudices.
Rhiya Evergreen, Elora's best friend, has long dreamed of escaping Umbralyn, their shared city of the powerless. When assigned to serve one of the most prestigious families in Arcana, she believes she's found her way out. But her newfound life of luxury comes at a cost, as she uncovers dangerous secrets that threaten to shatter everything she thought she wanted.
As Elora and Rhiya's paths diverge, they must navigate the truth about their society, their symbols, and themselves. When the Clubs disappear and Arcana's fragile balance of power starts to crack, Elora and Rhiya must choose between embracing their new roles or dismantling the system that defines them.
Lexy Jean is a counselor by day and-according to her dad-a professional daydreamer by night, which fortunately pairs perfectly with writing fantasy novels full of emotional chaos. By supporting people to grow into who they want to be, she draws inspiration from years spent working with others, where she's learned more about resilience, identity, and the human spirit than any instructor could ever teach.Born and raised in a small Pennsylvanian town, Lexy now divides her time between attempting to fix her tragically hopeless golf swing, cuddling her unbearably cute dog, and staying up far too late reading "just one more chapter." When she isn't writing, Lexy can be found dumping ideas into her notes app (even at 3 a.m.), curating playlists for her characters, or reminding herself that golf is, in fact, supposed to be fun.
