Arcana Academy

A death sentence that doubles as an audition for power

Clara has spent nearly a year rotting in Oricalis Kingdom's worst prison, secretly inking tarot cards for Warden Glavstone.

A death sentence that doubles as an audition for power

Clara has spent nearly a year rotting in Oricalis Kingdom's worst prison, secretly inking tarot cards for Warden Glavstone. Prince Kaelis arrives and uses the Nine of Swords—a truth-compelling card that drives spectral blades through their joined hands—to interrogate her. She resists revealing her sister Arina's name until the agony becomes unbearable. Kaelis sentences her to death at sunset and leaves. But the room holds inking supplies, and Clara suspects a test. She inks three cards using Swords powder to create Cups and Coins magic—a feat no other Arcanist can replicate—climbs down the prison wall, and swims the freezing river toward Eclipse City. The magic of a wish card keeps her afloat until Kaelis strikes her unconscious from a boat. Her escape was the examination. The whole year was.

Kaelis shields Clara with a fabricated name and engagement

Clara wakes in Kaelis's lavish apartments inside Arcana Academy. The second-born prince reveals his purpose: he needs her to help him obtain the legendary World card—a twenty-first tarot that can reshape reality. He threatens her loved ones if she refuses. When crown prince Ravin barges in demanding to know about a Halazar escapee, Kaelis produces forged documents claiming Clara is Clara Redwin, last surviving heiress of Clan Hermit—the noble family he himself annihilated years earlier—and announces their engagement. Ravin departs in fury. Clara is trapped: the alternative is Halazar or the branding mills where Arcanists are worked to death. She dresses in the prince's colors, enters the Fire Festival procession past searching Halazar guards, and begins her life as someone who never existed.

Clara destroys a second chance with Liam inside the Chalice

Before the assembled academy, Clara must sacrifice one of three drawn futures to the Arcanum Chalice. The Ten of Coins represents her found family. The Five of Swords promises conflict. The Two of Cups—the romance card—depicts a fated love. She casts the love card into the Chalice, publicly defying her supposed devotion to Kaelis and shocking the crowd. The Chalice transports her into a vision of the Fatefinders Club, where she reunites with Liam, the first man she ever loved, who left her years ago for an arranged marriage. He begs her to stay. The memory of his touch nearly swallows her whole. But she summons a rapier with the Five of Swords and drives it through his chest, destroying the future that will never be. Clara kneels alone, declared an initiate.