Thea Winthrop returns to the Wandless Academy in the fall and is drawn immediately into another adventure when the Federal Bureau of Magic asks for help. She and her friends discover that a mysterious cube contains the personality and powers of an elemental mage. Their efforts to save him from hostile forces propel the story. The fast-paced plot and nonstop suspense are enhanced by Thea’s growth into a stronger mage and warier person—changes precipitated by the betrayal of her trust by the FBM and her enlisting an acerbic, very smart Wandless student as an advisor. The climax and resolution, which involve both the alien Alphiri and mythical beings from the Earth’s past, demand a strong suspension of disbelief but do provide reader satisfaction. Recurrent characters and settings provide a satisfactory link among volumes of the trilogy (Worldweavers: Spellspam, 2008) but don’t make this one work as a stand-alone novel. Buy it to keep the fans happy. (Fantasy. 12 & up)
