Author: Juniper Klein

Jayde will do anything to bring back Soleste, the girl she loved, even highly taboo necromancy–or she would, if the spell would work. When a stranger named Barrick catches her after the murder that marks her fourth failed attempt, he blackmails her into using her illegal magic to help him infiltrate a local alchemy cult. Jayde agrees, hoping that the cult will provide answers about Soleste’s murder, and binds Barrick with a magical oath that enforces a truce between them until the final initiation.

She’s certain that the lifeblood of Soleste’s murderer is the missing ingredient to her resurrection spell, but which cult member is responsible? Her investigation reveals that Soleste may have been keeping secrets of her own. As Jayde and Barrick cheat their way through the cult’s hierarchy, she feels drawn to him in a way that can’t be fully attributed to their magically-enforced alliance–which, due to a translation error in the spell, makes her swoon every time their skin touches.

In the end, she’ll have to choose between allowing her grief to sink her deeper into dark magic, or claiming her frightening power in service of a new and uncertain future.

Publisher: Macmillan Publishers (MPS)
Published: 10/06/2026
Pages: 400
Binding Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9798890034922

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2026
School Library Journal 07/10/2026 pg. 1

About the Author
Juniper Klein is a debut author who loves crafting plots with emotional resonance, morally gray characters, and lovers who were meant to be enemies. In 2022, she was selected as an Author Mentor Match mentee. She resides in Houston, Texas.