‘Enchanting, immersive and beautifully imagined. Once I’d finished, I couldn’t stop dreaming of this magnificent magical world’ A.F. Steadman, author of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

'Spellbinding storytelling - lyrical, heartfelt, and glittering with possibilities' Sophie Anderson, author of The House with Chicken Legs

'Intricately-woven and wholly authentic.' Aisha Bushby, author of A Pocketful of Stars

My own Yara, if you are reading this, then something terrible has happened, and you are on your own. To return to the city of Zehaira, you must read out the words on the back of this letter . . . Good luck, my brave girl.

When Yara’s mother passes away, she leaves behind a letter and a strange set of instructions. Yara must travel from the home she has always known to a place that is not on any map – Zehaira, a world of sorcerers, alchemists and simmering magic. But Zehaira is not the land it used to be. The practice of magic has been outlawed, the Sultan’s alchemists are plotting a sinister scheme – and the answers Yara is searching for seem to be out of reach.

Yara must summon all of her courage to discover the truth about her mother’s past and her own identity . . . and to find her place in this magical new world.

A breathtaking adventure for fans of Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Sophie Anderson and Eva Ibbotson – perfect for intrepid young explorers age 9+!