The coffeehouse is unusually busy for this time of day.

  Located close to the heart of Trinity Valley, the cozy little cafe is only a fifteen-minute stroll from the Caelysian College of Arcane Magics. As a result, most afternoons typically see a downturn in patronage as classes are in full swing and the nearby shops are advertising their midday deals.

  Still, even with the college in intersession, I didn’t expect there to be a crowd.

  With a frustrated groan, I unclip one of the charms from the bracelet strapped to my wrist and thumb the smooth blue-green tourmaline gem inlaid in its center. It expands and unfolds, taking shape as small intricate runes carved into the fine gold surface begin to glow. Before long, the tiny bead has uncoiled to roughly the size of my palm and closely resembles a piece of elegant jewelry. I quickly slip the cuff around my ear and make my way to the back of the coffeehouse.

  No way in seven hells am I waiting in this line.

  The silence is almost deafening as the aurix charm continues to pulse against my skin, a steady hum that goes unanswered.

  Come on, pick up!

  ‘Danika?’ a voice echoes in my head as the woman with the matching half of my enchanted earring finally answers. ‘I’m a little busy right now, hun. Can I call you back—?’

  “I’m out back,” I say aloud, my tone impatient. “Can you let me in?”

  I can practically hear the eyeroll in her voice as she says, ‘Just because I own this place does not mean that you can abuse the employee entrance anytime you want.’

  “It’s abuse to make your best friend wait in line.”

  ‘Give me two seconds, Peter.’ There’s a pause, followed by several small clicks, and the link terminates just as the back door swings open. A young blonde in her late twenties is standing at the entrance, her arms crossed and one eyebrow cocked as her blue eyes study me. “Remind me why I cater to you, again?”

  “Because you love me?” I return her glower with my best smile. “Consider it one of the perks of our friendship.”

  “For me or for you?” When I reply with a simple shrug, Rose sighs and steps aside. “And what, pray tell, do I get out of this arrangement?”

  I remove the ear cuff and press down on the jewel. The aurix charm folds back in on itself, shrinking down to the size of a bead once more.

  “My unwavering devotion and access to some really cool magic stuff,” I say, clipping the charm back to my bracelet and crossing the threshold. The tantalizing aroma of baked goods hits me like a wave, warming my soul, and my smile widens.

  While Rose was a terrible cook, her talent for baking more than made up for it; although all of her fancy desserts are delicious, her homemade pastries are a local legend. Buttery and flaky, she usually stuffs them with all manner of delicacies. Despite the pistachio raspberry and cheesy ham being two of the cafe favorites, my go-to was always the cream cheese crescent with a chocolate drizzle and powdered sugar coating. If the heavens had a flavor, I imagine it would taste a little something like that.

  “Raw deal for me, then,” Rose scoffs, shutting the door and locking it behind her. “You actually have to graduate first, Dani girl.”

  Fair point.

  “Speaking of school, aren’t you supposed to be in class right now?”

  “Intersession started today.” I take a seat at the break room table as Rose reaches for a ceramic mug hanging above the sink and prepares to brew some tea—our usual routine on days when I pop in for a visit. “So expect to see more of me over the next two weeks.”

  “Lucky me,” she chuckles as she removes a box of assorted herbs from a cupboard overhead. “So does our magical prodigy prefer black or green tea?”

  “Chamomile.”

  “Oh boy.” Rose clucks her tongue against her teeth and opens a drawer. “What’s bothering you?”

  “Nothing.” That isn’t entirely true, though. I fidget with my necklace, running an index finger over the ruby gemstone as I add, “I just want some chamomile tea.”

  “Dani, we’ve known each other going on two years now. You only ever drink chamomile tea when you’re feeling stressed out about something.”

  I can still remember our first meeting as if it were only yesterday.

  Rosalie’s Roasts had just opened its doors to the world on a day where a hot tea and a delicious pastry sounded perfect. I had been buried in my midterm studies, engrossed in the complex linguistics of runespeak as it pertained to the earth arcana and the various pronunciations of stone, when she introduced me to my first cup of coffee. The sarcastic commentary that the coffeehouse quickly became known for was an unusual icebreaker, but in no time she had me laughing and I’ve been coming back here almost every week since. It was only natural that a friendship would develop from there; for all her snark, at her core Rose was nothing if not compassionate and loyal to those she cared for.

  We’re a peculiar pair, opposites in every regard, but over the years she’s become one of the best friends I’ve ever had.

  The tea kettle hisses and Rose clicks off the stove top. She sets a cup down in front of me and takes a seat across the table. “Are you nervous about finals?”

  I nod. There’s no point in lying to her; Rose can see right through my bullshit. It’s one of her talents.

  “I wouldn’t sweat it, Dani girl. You’re smart and you’ve worked hard for this. Besides, your dad’s a Supreme. The college is probably too scared of the repercussions to even consider flunking you.”

  I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Everyone always assumes the same thing, that my dad’s station within the Imperium Arcana is somehow my golden ticket to passing the exams and earning my license. If anything the pressure to succeed is even greater—the Imperium offers no handouts or free rides, especially for a child to one of their own top-ranked officials.

  But that’s not what has me feeling anxious today. “Rose, tell me. What do you know about the Fracturing?”

  She shrugs. “Same as most people outside your magic circle, I guess. Which is to say, not much.”

  “But you’ve heard things. People talk and I want to know what you know.”

  Rose purses her lips. “Well, from what I understand, graduation’s a big thing for you mages. You put in the work, nearly study yourselves to death for what seems like an eternity, and eventually you get your little stone thingy—”

  “Reliquary.”

  “Yeah, right, that. And then you’ll finally get to start weaving some of that impressive magic you’re always tempting me with.”

  If only that’s all it was. “There’s more to it than that. Assuming that I pass finals at all, the Fracturing requires us to give up something in order to weave magic and I—I don’t know if I can.”

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  “You mean like a sacrifice?”

  I nod. “Something like that.”

  “Well for your sake, I hope it’s not sex,” Rose jokes and this time I don’t hold back an eyeroll. She always did take an unhealthy interest in my love life—or, as it’s been lately, a lack thereof. “So what do you need to give up?”

  I take a sip of my tea, unsure of exactly how to phrase my answer. It’s hard enough for me to wrap my mind around it, let alone explain it to an outsider. But when the right words fail to form, I sigh and decide to settle on the simplest response.

  “My soul.”

  The way that Rose’s eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets and her jaw drops open makes me wonder if being blunt was the right approach, after all.

  “Come again?”

  “It’s not like it’s some big secret, Rose.”

  Every prospect that enrolls in the college is presented a waiver to sign, absolving the Imperium of any liability should harm befall a student during their studies. Among the nondisclosure statement and other legal formalities, it also included a clause toward the end that detailed the risks involved with the Fracturing process should a prospect meet all eligibility requirements for their mage’s license. It was a standard admissions procedure and, as far as I knew, rarely was it ever brought up.

  Still, accidents have been known to happen.

  “Yeah, but I always thought it was a metaphor! Like you put your heart and soul into your craft. I didn’t think they meant it literally!”

  “The reliquary is made from soulstone. You know what that is, don’t you?”

  She snorts, as if I just insulted her intelligence. “Of course I do, everyone does. Most people avoid it because of—oh seven hells, Dani! You’re serious right now?”

  “It’s the safest way to practice magic.”

  “Dani, you’re sitting here telling me that they make you pay an absurd amount in tuition fees and study your brains out for years just to take away your soul and for what? To speak to trees and turn puddles into potions or whatever it is you mages do? Why would anyone sign up for that!”

  I can think of several reasons why. “You’d be surprised.”

  “So why are you going through with it, then?”

  “Tradition, I guess?” As far as I know, there’s never been a Vossler that wasn’t a member of the Imperium Arcana. Besides, I don’t think I really have the luxury of choosing.

  “But do you even want to?”

  Does it matter?

  Instead, I shrug. “It might help.”

  “With your condition?” Her gaze softens. “Dani, we’ve talked about this. There’s got to be some natural remedy or medical procedure that can—”

  “I’ve tried everything, Rose,” I cut her off with a huff. We’ve had this argument so many times that I already know what she’s going to say and, honestly, I’m not in a listening mood today. It’s not that I’m ungrateful for her attempts but, despite her family’s extensive background and their status as physicians in Trinity Valley’s conventional medical circuit, nothing they’ve recommended has helped. “They only mitigate the effects. None of them cure it.”

  You can’t cure the ruenaga.

  It’s a rare thing for a person to be born with stardust poisoning, but there have been a few documented cases if one of their parents was infected at the time of conception. And, with the dangers and social stigma surrounding the disease, it’s not a condition that I’m comfortable confiding about in others. Not even Rose knows the full extent of my illness, only that I suffer from debilitating headaches and can get confused sometimes.

  I can only thank the gods that it hasn’t progressed much; if it wasn’t for the tonic my dad created when the signs first appeared to keep my disease at bay, I’d probably be sitting in a cell somewhere while the Imperium’s healers studied the side effects of the ruenaga as it ravaged my mind and soul.

  “But magic will do what nature can’t, right?” Rose shakes her head and I can’t help but smile. We’ve had these kinds of discussions before, too. “Mages. I swear, I’ll never understand your lot. And I never thought I’d say this but I’d rather take a vow of celibacy.” She leans back with a sigh. “So, how are you so sure that this Fracturing will help?”

  “I’m not.” But what choice do I have when nothing else has worked?

  My worst fear is that I’ll wind up going crazy, like my dad says my mother did in the weeks leading up to my birth. But removing my soul might be the only way to stop that from happening. I mean, if the Fracturing can prevent a mage from succumbing to the ruenaga, then why can’t it do the same for someone already afflicted by it?

  “Rosalie!” a voice shouts from the front. When she doesn’t immediately respond, a mop of unruly brown hair quickly emerges from around the corner. “Are you expecting me to work alone up here or what?” the young man asks before shifting his gaze to me. “Oh, hi Danika.”

  I offer him a wave as Rose groans. “Seven hells, Peter, I said give me two seconds!”

  “Yeah, but that was ten minutes ago! I’ve got orders up to my ass out here and you’ve got a cafe full of impatient customers to roast.”

  She shoots him a pointed look. “Why can’t you do the roasting? You’ve been here long enough to know how it works.”

  “No one can publicly humiliate someone and make them feel good about it better than you can. And besides, I’m making the drinks. I can’t do both.”

  Rose scoffs. “I did it for a whole year before hiring you.”

  “And look at how much more business you’ve gotten since taking me on. But if you’re going to keep adding new items to the menu, then you’ve got to seriously consider hiring more help.”

  Another groan rattles in her throat as she rolls her head back. “Fine! I’ll be up there in a second.”

  “Great, so see you in five minutes.”

  “Those drinks aren’t going to brew themselves!” Rose calls after Peter as he disappears from view. I finish the last of my tea as she shakes her head and flicks her gaze toward me. “You wouldn’t happen to be in the market for a job, would you?”

  My lips twist in an apologetic smile. “Sorry, love. I have a job, remember?”

  “The campus library’s a part time gig, Dani girl. I’m talking about after you graduate. You’ll get a nice discount on all our specials, especially your favorites.”

  “As tempting as that sounds, I’m pretty sure my dad already has plans for me.” Though, truth be told, a part of me would much rather work here with Rose.

  “Good help is so hard to find these days.” She runs a manicured hand through her long hair and huffs with dramatic flair. “Well, guess I should get back to it. Peter’s a great brewman, but he tends to crack under pressure and we haven’t been this busy in a long while.”

  “So what’s the occasion?” I ask, gesturing to the front of the cafe. Other than the recurring holiday affairs that garner a large amount of foot traffic in Trinity Valley throughout the year, Rosalie’s Roasts is generally known to be a quiet spot. I can’t remember a time when the line was ever out the door, let alone wrapped around the street corner.

  Rose quirks a brow. “You haven’t heard?”

  “Heard what?”

  “There was a hunter in town, Dani. An actual godsdamn hunter!”

  A clipped laugh belts out of my mouth before I realize that she’s not joking. “Wait, you’re serious?”

  “Apparently there was a hit or something last week. Heliographs of a headless corpse in the back alley of a Southside bar were leaked to the press a few days ago. They say his heart was ripped clean from his chest and his head was missing.”

  “That’s disgusting. Besides, I doubt it’s true. Isn’t the whole appeal behind how their operation works based in shadow and secrecy? Leaving evidence behind is too sloppy to have been the work of a hunter.” People have a tendency to just disappear whenever the Blades Society is involved.

  She waves a dismissive hand. “Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. The rumor mill’s a great way to stir up publicity and the whole city is talking about it. We’ve concocted a new flavor to commemorate the event and it’s a top seller. Guess what it’s called!”

  The gleam in her eyes is so intense that I’m almost afraid to ask. “Do I even want to know?”

  “Death’s Touch.” At my blank stare, she decides to elaborate further. “You know, because hunters bring death to anyone who crosses their path? Anyway, it’s got a nice blend of cinnamon and scorch pepper that’s sure to knock people on their asses.”

  “Cute. I take it the name was your idea?”

  “Peter’s, actually. Which means I’ll have to make good on my promise of a raise since I lost that bet. You know, I really didn’t think it would take off like this but I got to hand it to the kid, the name is catchy.”

  “No, people are just drawn to the macabre.” My bracelet suddenly vibrates against my wrist and I glance down to see an amber charm pulsating with a soft orange glow. “Shit.”

  “Your dad?”

  “Yeah. He’s in town and probably heard that intersession started. I’m sure he wants to talk before I go in for my shift at the library tomorrow night.” With how busy both our schedules have been lately—political affairs for him and relentless studying for me—we haven’t really had the time to chat about my future.

  It’s not a conversation that I’m much looking forward to.

  “Gross. They’re still making you work nights over there?”

  I shrug. “I don’t mind it, really. It’s quiet at night.”

  “See? If you came to work for me, you’d work normal hours. I’d even give you time off.” The aurix charm continues to pulse and Rose hums. “You going to answer it?”

  I shake my head. “I’ll call him back later. But I probably should get going. I need to pick up a few things from the market and then clean my apartment. I’m hosting dinner tomorrow.”

  Rose waves an empty cup in front of me. “In that case, would you like our new house favorite to-go? I’ll add a shot of milkroot for some extra zip, and I’ll even throw in your favorite cream cheese crescent. No charge.”

  As a self-described amateur apothecary, Rose was always experimenting with different recipes for the coffeehouse’s menu, looking for new ways to incorporate healthy additives into her delicious concoctions. But milkroot has a chocolaty taste to it and is well known for its potency as a stimulant, and coffee does sound amazing. Especially when paired with my favorite pastry.

  “Yeah, sure. But can you save it for tomorrow? I’ll swing by on my way to work. And Rose, make it a double.” I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night.