First published 2026
Ferec thought guarding a defecting scientist would be routine work. The mission seemed straightforward until everything went sideways. Now he races through the magical streets of Wickhills, staying ahead of the intelligence agency hunting his charge. His handler may have turned against him. His network of underground contacts becomes his only lifeline. The scientist carries something far worse than stolen secrets. She possesses a magical weapon capable of ending the world. Ferec and his team must disappear into the literal underground of Wickhills, where different rules apply and survival demands new strategies. Above ground, tensions between cities worldwide reach a breaking point. War threatens to erupt unless Ferec can expose the hidden truths that powerful people want buried. Deep beneath Wickhills, he discovers that protecting one defector means confronting forces that could destroy the fragile peace holding civilization together. The weapon his scientist carries represents both ultimate destruction and the key to preventing global catastrophe.
Genres: science-fiction-fantasy, adventure, fantasy, thriller, action, espionage
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, gritty, high-stakes, suspenseful
Tropes: betrayal, forced-proximity, found-family, race-against-time
Setting: Wickhills
320 pages · Hardcover · Tor Books
Content warnings: violence, war