Arcane Rebels

Am I dead? I really should be, since I just swallowed enough Arcanum to blow up every wannabe mage in the city. But instead, a brand new Arcane symbol is glowing on my solar plexus: the sigil of Spirit. And linking elements with my four Rebels even gets us out of my brother's compound alive. Unfortunately, the current Arcane Masters aren't the only threat we're facing. With our newly heightened senses, we uncover a nasty piece of Arcane technology that's been blighting the city's water supply for a whole generation. Amid all the chaos, I've somehow gone from a lonely, cloistered existence to a romantic involvement-not just with one fierce Rebel, but two. Bonding with the Rebels connects us all in a profound way that stretches far beyond the physical. Rain and Zephyr-Water and Air-are closer now than ever. Their touch can call down a mighty storm...or call up some seriously complicated feelings. Ember is suffering in silence to see me with Rain and Zeph instead of him. Not Sterling, though-he's intrigued. I have no idea how to navigate the tangle of our relationships. The Arcane powers we stole are just as confusing. They didn't come with a user's manual, and just when we think we've got a handle on our talents... We realize we're not invincible after all.

It's no longer just our lives at stake. Corona might not be the best looking city. Or the richest. Or even the most stable. But it's the city where Arcanum was discovered, and it spawned The Great Machine. It's also my home. Which is why I'm so horrified to see it collapse. It's not unusual for the occasional sinkhole to rumble through the streets, but now that my brother has taken over the Arcane Masters, huge swaths of the city are falling in. Sterling, my own Earth Master, suspects it's all an elaborate trap to neutralize the Rebels and harvest our energy. The Arcane Masters have every advantage: wealth, training, and public support-and they can wield a stunning amount of magic without breaking a sweat. But the Arcane Rebels share a special bond, and when our elements mingle, they're exponentially greater than a single power alone. If only all five of us could get on board with the arrangement. Zephyr and Sterling are playing nice-for now-and Rain is in his glory. But whenever things heat up, Ember always finds pressing business elsewhere. We need our Fire Master...before anyone else pays the ultimate price.