In Abby's world, magic isn't anything special: it's a part of everyday life. So when Abby is discovered to have zero magical abilities, she's branded an Ord-ordinary, bad luck, and quite possibly a danger to society.

The outlook for an ord isn't bright. Many are cast out by their families, while others are sold to treasure hunters (ords are impervious to spells and enchantments) Luckily for Abby, her family enrolls her in a special school for kids who must learn how to get around in the world without magic. But with kidnappers and carnivorous goblins lurking around every corner, Abby's biggest problem may not be what she's going to do with her life - it's whether she's going to survive the school year.