Steel & Spellfire

After five years of instruction at the Bellwether School for Young Ladies, 17-year-old Pandora Small is ready to take her place in society as an Ingenue: a young woman who “seek[s] out bindings and new lives” by tying her parlor trick magic to a wealthy—often male—patron. Secretly, Pandora is, “according to Hesperid’s laws, an abomination,” a magic user far more powerful than any mage the city of Valora has ever known. Pandora seeks to break free from her unknown patron, to whom she’s been bound since she was a child. While navigating the intrigue and glamour of the social season on Palace Hill, she encounters Queen’s Guard Ellis Beacon, who hides an ability to sense magic. As the two become unlikely friends, the magical murders of several other Ingenues threaten Valora’s seemingly peaceful society and jeopardize Pandora’s cover. And in discovering her power’s origins and her patron’s identity, Pandora could change the country forever. In this sweeping tale, Weymouth (The Voice Upstairs) weaves together decadent romance and dangerous mystery. Employing a glamorous setting reminiscent of Regency-era England, Weymouth explores the commodification of young women and power, making for an intriguing fantasy with thematic heft. Major characters cue as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Laura Crockett, Triada US. (July)