From the introduction: It's 2012. All over the world people joke about the Mayan apocalypse. Wizards in the The Two Families argue about the ancient rules that forbid them to use elemental magic to keep their houses cool in summer, instead of wasting money and energy with air conditioning technology. Nobody paid much attention when Margareth Varela starts her farewell, a coming of age tradition that includes traveling to a near city. Now, at the end of the day where she was meant to return, they notice. She hasn't come back.