[1] The novel starts with Sydney Sage in re-education, still in her dark cell, called reflection time by the Alchemists.

While at Court, Adrian discovers that his parents don't love each other, and that his mother is staying with his father for the money and status, which disgusts him.

She thinks that she will be able to have a normal sleep, meaning that Adrian will be able to reach her, but when she wakes up in the morning, she realises that the Alchemists are still drugging them somehow.

Sydney decides to start exploring at night, using magic, and information from her friends, to check out the facility and see if she can find an escape route.

Sydney gets hold of some salt and manages to magically charm it, trying to recreate her "Alchemist-proof" ink from the previous book, to give to one of the other young Alchemists before he gets re-inked.

Adrian talks to Marcus and Eddie and the rest of the Palm Springs gang, and they try to figure out where Sydney is so they can break her out.

Adrian grows increasingly worried when he loses the dream connection with Sydney again and assumes she has been caught, which turns out to be true.

To pay for all of it, he sells his Aunt Tatiana's cuff links, and makes the jewels into the wedding bands.

Jill has arranged a helicopter ride from a small Moroi school as their escape, but Sydney has to get past the Alchemists that were torturing her in the facility, and she uses magic to threaten them with fire.