Magic destroyed the world, and four kingdoms emerged to pick up the pieces. Living simply, as the new kingdom dictates, Cassie is used to the days of cleaning up after her annoying stepmother and diabolical stepsiblings. For the most part, she's been able to ignore her father's flighty dismissal. However, an approaching war and a new friend have reminded her of how much she misses the family she used to have. Decisions might make or break some families. Simon is on his way to enter the war and gain his father's approval. He doesn't want to sit on the sidelines while others fight the battles he's more than capable of joining. When he meets Cassie, he begins to wonder what his life will look like after the war ends. War is waging at the border of the Kingdom of Dalry, but Cassie is about to engage in her own battle. With her father and Simon gone, Cassie becomes involved in another war. An evil witch, set on revenge, takes her hostage. She's the key to a spell more than two decades in the making. Her only choice is to go along with the plan until she can get free. Now, Cassie must find a way to defeat the malevolent witch and her resurrected adversary before she loses far more than her glass slippers.