Summary

Prologue

Lily is running through her home in the dark. She is frightened, convinced she is going to die. As something comes through her bedroom door, she begins to draw the Matson Defense, so scared that it comes out sloppy. These chalk lines begin attacking the circles around her, breaking through and coming after her.

Chapter 1

Joel explains Matson Defense to a classmate in order to excite him about the Rithmatists, but no one shares Joel’s enthusiasm. Everyone who gathered, wanders off to get to their next classes. Joel goes to the office where he spends his open period running messages. Joel delivers his messages quickly so that he can slip in Professor Fitch’s class to deliver a note he has written himself. Professor Fitch is a Rithmatist professor, and Joel is really not supposed to be in...