Worthless. Undeserving. Hacker. Those lies have haunted Jeff Strenton since he first learned of his parentage and his powers. Falling in love with one of the governor's daughters didn't help. If he's ever going to outrun the legacy that torments him and get Becca's family to accept him, he must be accepted and trained by the most formidable Shield on the planet-Dan Vindico. Jeff negotiates a deal. Vindico can turn him into the protector he was always meant to be. In turn, Jeff will use his powers to help Dan unravel the scandals destroying the magic held deep within their alma mater. With every keystroke, Jeff seeks to bury his past so he can have the future that's just out of reach. But one misstep triggers a cascade of revenge. He must choose between protecting the only woman he's ever loved or ending the people determined to trap Jeff in the Tangle of Chaos .