Since fleeing glitzy Evergarden for the gritty Marshes, Marlow Briggs has become the best cursebreaker in Caraza City. But no matter how many cases she solves, she's still haunted by her mother's disappearance.

When Adrius Falcrest, Marlow's old crush and scion of one of Caraza's most affluent spell-making families, asks her to help him break a curse, Marlow wants nothing to do with him . . . until she uncovers a new lead in her mother's case. Marlow reluctantly agrees to help Adrius so she can return to Evergarden society. To avoid drawing suspicion, Marlow and Adrius pretend to be madly in love. Soon, Marlow comes to learn that the truth behind Adrius's curse and her mother's disappearance may be clues to a larger mystery - one that could unravel the very foundations of Caraza and magic itself.