Sunspot

Seven years the Spire has stood. Seven years since the world changed and magic became the new black gold. Seven years since the Frozen Flame brought magic to Earth and killed Dalton's dad.

Now it's back for him.

Touched by the Flame, Dalton—"Ezzen" to his friends, all of whom are online—becomes at last capable of putting his love of magical theory to practice. This also makes him an unimaginably valuable resource. From shadowy government agencies to Flame-worshiping cults to incandescent, self-made magical girls, the forces that shape the new world snap their jaws shut around him.

They will find his shell is not so easy to crush.

In the wake of the Thunder Horse Inferno, Ezzen has been invited to meet Hikanome, Japan's premier Flame cult and Todai's erstwhile enemy. They're hosting a barbecue in Yoyogi Park, and they'd very much like to see what he's made of.

That's a week away. In the meantime, Ezzen has problems closer to home: The decision to date Hina is causing Radiance Heliotrope to be a massive bitch to him (worth it), his dreams are getting weirder, and he keeps almost leaking sensitive intel to his friends online. He also gets a haircut so bad he needs magic to fix it.

And his stalker is still out there. Hina's looking for her—and when she finds her, the shockwave threatens to upend the balance of power in Japan and brings secrets to light that make Ezzen question everything.