From acclaimed fantasy author Mindee Arnett comes an epic, adventurous story of a young mercenary magic-user trying to escape the oppressive island of Riven--and a young noblewoman trying to change it forever.Mars Darksvane wants out. Out from under the thumb of Una, the crime boss who pulled him off the streets as a child and trained him as an assassin; out from the island country of Riven, where magic, in the form of a dangerous material called Ice, allows the rich to live in luxury and keeps the poor in thrall.Mars is a secret adept--a person born with the ability to channel the magic that flows beneath Riven--and while his power gives him abilities useful to an assassin, it also makes him a target. And when his last mission ends in tragedy, Mars finally decides it's time to escape to the mainland. No magic, no history, a new life on his own.But Una has other ideas. If Mars wants his freedom, he's going to have to perform a final job: protecting Fura Torvald--the heiress of the rich
