On the planet Elystra, the all-female Ixtrayu tribe have thrived, hidden from their world's male-dominated societies for eight centuries. Thirty-five generations of Protectresses have safeguarded their sisters from the men who would destroy them for the Elemental power they wield. But how did it all begin? . Seeking riches and power, a band of vicious slavers steal twenty girls from their homes, as well as the Agrusian Stone, long fabled for its beauty and pricelessness. Among the abducted is Sahria, an eighteen-year-old novice, determined to free herself and return home. When the Stone unexpectedly imbues her with her god's divine power, she realizes freedom for herself and her sisters is within her grasp ... but to save them all would mean leaving behind everything she's ever known. With a slaver's market looming, Sahria must make a choice: escape and return to the safety of her Order, or embark on a far more dangerous path, one where mere survival is only the beginning.