by A.L.Vesper
In a world where sorcery reigns and lineage determines destiny, Solus Cerventes walks the dangerous line as the Order Sorcerer heiress. As a top-tier independent contractor, or mercenary as some friends put it, she navigates a reality where the glamorous surface hides a rotting underworld. After a simple job, she returns home to find a one-night stand in her bed with another woman, prompting her to unceremoniously toss him out a second-story window — just another day in her unlucky life. Seeking refuge from a world that seems to revel in kicking her down, she's confronted by breaking news about a horrific rampage by the newest Accursed, a grim reminder that safety is an illusion. Desperate for a real escape, she agrees to join her best friend at the annual Ganar Festival. For a few precious hours, she allows herself to get lost in the chaotic revelry, even finding herself drawn to two very different men along the way: Shiloh, a dangerously charismatic scumbag whose red flags are as tempting as they are plentiful, and Rugus, a kind soul whose own burdens seem to mirror her hidden pain. But escape is temporary. A new, high-stakes job from a mysterious client named Bora drags her back into the fray, forcing her to investigate a corporate conspiracy tied to human trafficking and a defunct drug operation. As she untangles a web of secrets, she discovers the new players in her life are more connected to her then she realizes. In the end, her world is turned upside down when the assignment goes horribly wrong, leaving her with a terrifying new condition and on the run. Now, Solus isn't just running from the world, but from a future she never wanted. Torn between the man who feels like home and the one who sets her heart ablaze, she must uncover the truth before she becomes the next casualty in a game where the stakes are not just her life, but her heart, especially when she discovers the men she's drawn to aren't who they appear to be.
