The Dissolution of Tal Stephens

New York 1897

Talia Stephens didn't want to be a necromancer. The Order of the Sacella claims dominion over all mages, but especially necromancers, which they send to the front lines of interminable wars and return them home in a coffin within a few years.

Instead, Talia became Talbot, and hid in the mortuary lab, practicing her arts and honing her skills.

Her disguise is successful until a revenant threatens to escape and destroy the city. To save lives, she is forced to use her gift and right in front of Daniel Thayer, disgraced mage of the Sacella, and a veritas, or one who can taste lies. He offers her a bargain: help him to catch a serial killer stripping mages of their magic and he'll keep her secret.

Daniel is fueled by a desire for revenge against the Order that ruined him. When Tal's gift finds a connection between the killer and the Order's highest members, he knows he must teach her to keep her safe. As their investigation takes them through boardrooms and bordellos, Tal must decide how far she can trust Daniel and the growing feelings between them. The more answers she uncovers, the closer she grows to Daniel, and the more ensnared she becomes in the turmoil of magic and might that threatens to reveal all of her secrets.