Lore escaped a death cult at thirteen. Ten years later, she still hasn’t escaped the magic they buried in her bones.
In the city of Dellaire, Mortem—magic drawn from death—is both a currency and a curse. Lore uses hers to survive in the shadows until a job goes wrong and exposes her gift. Instead of execution, she’s dragged into the court of the Sainted King and given a choice: use her power to uncover why villages are dying overnight, or die herself.
Now entangled with a pious warrior-monk and the king’s dangerously charming heir, Lore must navigate a glittering court built on secrets and sin.
The catacombs are calling. Her past is rising. And Mortem always comes with a price.