The Fifth Rung

Tamsin Hollis is the only First Year in House Tide to climb from Spark to Ember, and the Spring Trials are six weeks away. Ember Academy has one rule: no duels outside the Ring. Then someone scorches the floor of the east wing where the Old Fire began, a ward stone goes cold under the Ringwarden's hand, and the man who taught Tamsin to pace dies on the black stone in front of the whole school. With a borrowed owl feather and a sealed report nobody will open, Tamsin has two weeks to learn how far a Bright-grade affinity can carry her against the captain of House Blaze.