Description
In a city where ancient magic is the ultimate prize, a cynical thief is the only one who can see it being stolen. Ivy Reed is a gifted art thief with a unique secret: she doesn't just see security systems; she sees the magical wards that protect Shanghai's most priceless artifacts. To her, they're just beautiful, complex locks-until she witnesses one violently shattered by a force that shouldn't exist. Now, a powerful enemy is systematically dismantling the city's spiritual foundations, and the blight left behind is poisoning the minds of its citizens. Hunted by both her new enemy and the ancient order of Dragon Guards who see her as a blasphemous outsider, Ivy's only ally is Kai Jin, the last guardian of his line. He is duty, tradition, and sacred power. She is rebellion, code, and cynical self-interest. Forced into a reluctant partnership, the thief and the guardian must forge a new kind of magic to stop a ruthless industrialist who isn't just stealing artifacts-he's harvesting the soul of the city to fuel his own terrifying immortality. In a desperate race against time, they will have to break into the most secure building in the world, confront a legion of weaponized ghosts, and risk everything to perform a metaphysical heart transplant on a dying city. Because if they fail, the future won't just be dark-it will be utterly silent.
CHAPTER ONE: THE BLUEPRINT THIEF
