For fans of Naomi Novik and Kerri Maniscalco, a dark academia romantasy steeped in necromancy, forbidden love and a twisty murder mystery set within the perilous halls of a magical institute, as a death mage who hates her magic and a poison mage who hates her are forced to work together to stop a killer before one of them is next.

Born with the ability to speak with the dead, Viola hates her magic. It killed her sister, Olivia, and the if she doesn’t learn why, it will kill her too. Her only hope lies within the perilous walls of Gorhail Institute of Magic, where Olivia spent her final days.

There, on the trail of the growing mystery, Viola clashes with Sylas, a poison mage whose magic stems from three immortal snakes. Tormented by his mother’s untimely demise, Sylas’ hatred for death mages runs deep. He is determined to keep Viola at a distance, but when an attack forces him to heal her, their fates become intertwined by a magical bond that threatens to upend his loyalties – and his common sense.

Drawn together by grief, magic and a growing attraction, Viola and Sylas follow a mysterious killer through Gorhail’s treacherous passageways, where secrets fester beneath the stone and the dead refuse to rest. As enemy lines begin to blur and their undeniable attraction grows, Viola and Sylas uncover a chilling conspiracy: someone is hunting mages for their magical relics, and if they can’t uncover the killer in time, Viola will be next.