As the Wanteds, Unwanteds, and Necessaries struggle to adjust to changes in their society, Mr. Today begins training fourteen-year-old Alex to replace him as Artime's leader one day while Alex's disgraced twin, Aaron, connives to take over Quill.

Divided by their society into Wanted and Unwanted at thirteen, estranged twin brothers Aaron and Alex have both run into trouble--as mage of Artime, Alex must defend the island from attack, while Aaron continues to scheme to take over the islands and get rid of the Unwanteds altogether.

Everything Aaron has worked so hard to build in Quill has crumbled. Fallen from the height of power and influence and left for dead in a foreign place, Aaron has lost everything, and now he must humbly beg for food from those who saved his life. In Artime, Alex chooses his people over his brother and abandons his search for Aaron, closing the door on that relationship forever. The Artimeans need his focus now more than ever as they face the terrifying...