"In the palace, you're only safe when there's no one left you love." • The Asmara people can control 7 different elements of the natural world: fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, plants, and rarely, life itself. Their powers can be beautiful and destructive, but they come at a price. For Embers, who control fire, they gradually burn up at their own hand. For the water-wielding Tides, their lungs fill with water until they drown. The more intensely or frequently they use their power, the faster the damage is done. Kali Kashima is born into a family of Embers, destined to a life of flame. She performs to pay the bills, but her powers are already taking a toll on her body. When she's invited to perform for the royals of Asmara, she's awestruck, but little does she know they have something else planned for her. Something that breaks the balance.