MTM Brief Synopsis Katie is the shy youngest daughter of a tough-minded queen. The more Queen Claudia tries to toughen Katie up, the more Katie dreams of escape. But her surreptitious attempt to see her mother’s exotic prisoner backfires, and her mother demands a public performance. Alaric, mage-king of Westland, has been taken prisoner by Claudia and cleaved from his magic. He hopes, while here, to negotiate peace in the contested province of Darimbia. He rescues Katie by proposing instead to lead a rousing drinking song. The next day, Katie visits Alaric to thank him. As their friendship grows, Katie reveals she has no magical ability. Alaric, though, is sure that she does have this ability, despite Katie’s denial. They visit the library, and Alaric gives Katie a book about physics—required introductory reading for magic users. Upon learning of the space between atomic particles, Katie figures out how to walk through walls. From Alaric, Katie learns about Darimbia—how in ancient times the province had been the seat of a great empire with advanced magical abilities, but after their charismatic leader was assassinated, the empire crumbled and the region sank into poverty. Claudia had abused the people, and Alaric was working with the Darimbians to free them. Katie decides to join his cause. Alaric and Claudia negotiate a settlement of the conflict in Darimbia: She will free him and yield Darimbia to him. In return, he will marry one of her daughters with magical ability as well as pay a hefty annual tribute. The oath is sworn on Claudia’s oathstone, a magical enforcement device. Of Claudia’s daughters, Alaric will marry only Katie. Alaric succeeds in bringing out a tiny bit of magic in her, but this is insufficient in Claudia’s eyes. She is furious. Katie plans her and Alaric’s escape. She pulls him through a wall to implement it. This is not any kind of magic Alaric knows, nor is it something he can do. They escape to his kingdom, where Katie still finds magic difficult. It sends her into emotional turmoil when she tries to use it. She travels with Alaric to Darimbia, where the fighting is still going on. Their spies find a cave with a strange, and clearly magical barrier at its rear. Alaric can’t unravel its magic, but Katie pulls him through it. They are in a tunnel that presses in on them. Again, Katie brings them through. They come out in ancient Darimbia, where they are greeted by a man named Rom, who turns out to be Katie’s father. The demands of war require Alaric to return, but Katie opts to stay and learn more about, and from, Rom. Not realizing Katie’s relationship, Alaric leaves, feeling abandoned by her. Katie finds magic easy, the way Rom does it. She learns that Rom is still in love with her mother and determines to reunite them. She brings Rom back to her mother’s place. To Katie’s delight, Claudia is happy to see Rom again, but to her dismay, Claudia begins using Rom in the war against Alaric. Katie learns from Rom how to travel “in spirit,” but barely manages to stop him from choking Alaric, even in spirit form. Alaric feels Katie’s presence and wonders if it was she who choked him. Katie’s mother is angry at her for interfering. Banished to her room, Katie realizes that she loves Alaric and must help him, or her mother and Rom allied together will kill him. Through love and desperation, Katie extends spirit travel to go to Alaric in person. They reconcile, and the misunderstandings between them are cleared up. Alaric again asks Katie to marry him, and this time she says yes. The oathstone begins pressuring Claudia to fulfill her side of the oath. Rom convinces her she must do this, or die. A truce is declared. Claudia is convinced to agree to the marriage, though reluctantly. Katie and Alaric are married on the oathstone, and by the time the official celebration rolls around, she is expecting their child.