CrownedWritergirlyyy
"His eyes are icy blue; yours will have a golden hue. You'll help him solve the mystery, even when you don't have a clue..." In the kingdom of Nuraznia, hitting puberty makes you officially ageless-but it doesn't make you immortal. No one knows this better than Vaelith Secar, the palace's snarky royal Restorationist who spends her days magically fixing broken artifacts and her nights trying to stay off the royal radar. When the beloved Crown Princess Eleanor is mysteriously poisoned, a massive target lands squarely on Vaelith's back. After all, Vaelith is the one who recently exposed a dark royal secret, and everyone knows the princess despised her for it. Enter Xylian: a cynical, leather-clad Asset Retriever who was secretly in love with the dead princess. Distraught and hunting for justice, he barges into Vaelith's workshop with a cracked, magical mirror that holds the memories of Eleanor's final moments. To clear her name and survive a vengeful Queen, Vaelith reluctantly forms a dangerous alliance with the brooding investigator. But as they dig into the royal court's deadly secrets, Vaelith's own magic begins to warp-her veins glowing gold, her eyes shifting color, and a strange, burning power awakening within her chest. Together, they are running out of time. Because Eleanor's killer isn't finished... and Vaelith is the next target. Featuring: Slow-burn enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, high-stakes royal mystery, a sarcastic heroine, and a dark fantasy world where trust is a luxury.