Briar and Rosethorn are in ancient Chammur, where Briar gets involved in a war between street gangs at the same time that he ends up trying to train a young stone mage he has discovered. Intrigue, adventure, humor, nastiness, all set against a fascinating culture, this is classic Tamora Pierce.

Evvy, the fierce young stone mage introduced in Street Magic, has accompanied her guardian, Rosethorn, on a mission to study a mysterious plant die-off. With the help of Luvo, who is the living heart of a mountain, Evvy discovers the real source of the threat, which is far greater than anyone had imagined. Preventing a natural disaster may cost Evvy her life.

Briar Moss and his fellow mages-in-training Sandry, Tris, and Daja, have faced earthquakes, pirates, and fire. But their greatest challenge is still ahead. It comes in the unexpected form of a disease, a devastating plague that is ravaging the citizens of Emelan.

On a journey to Gold Ridge, the four young mages-in-training, Daja, Sandry, Tris, and Briar, find their special magics overlapping, sometimes in frightening and destructive ways. One burst of this combined magic leads Daja to create an astonishing vine made of living metal.

The four young mages, Tris, Sandy, Daja, and Briar, are just starting to settle into their new home at Winding Circle Temple. But even as they struggle to cope with the powerful magic that binds them together, Winding Circle comes under attack by pirates armed with fierce new weapons.