In a land where written works are held for ransom and current events are shared in song, three prodigious teens chase rumors of fantastical devices and discover a secret which could change the world. From the back cover: John was so out of his depth. No matter how prodigious his talent, the Multi Guild never trained him how to go on a date. So John just blurted it out, to impress a cute girl, to end an awkward silence: A boiler-less steam engine. Just a ridiculous rumor from some unknown minstrel. Not even a mention in the Archive, where the Multis meticulously catalogued all of the world's knowledge. But for Caprice, an aspiring young engineer, it was something new, a mystery, an invitation to adventure. And John could hardly sit by and let her rush off to parts unknown all by herself, could he? Not when this spontaneous quest was all his fault and the notion of a second date was still undetermined. Lucky for the pair that Lumin, a Speaker trained in an ancient martial art, is hanging around when they promptly stumble into trouble. But Lumin's got worries of his own, including occasionally hearing voices, and a secret that he's increasingly certain is tied up with Caprice's quest.