The Anatomy of Magic by Alexis L. Menard

Where falling in love could be the last mistake you ever make.

In the city of Valveron, an elite academy seeks to control all magic. But in the darker districts, every kind of power is for sale. If you can pay the price.

Nina Veyr has a dangerous secret—illegal magical abilities she cannot explain. If the city’s enforcers found her, she would be executed… or worse.

For years, Nina has stayed in the shadows, picking pockets and smuggling enchanted relics to get by. Then she steals from the wrong man.

Max Antonin is the most powerful crime boss in the city. Cold, deadly, and breathtakingly attractive, Max has his sights set on Nina, and nothing will stand in his way.

But when Nina is framed for a shocking murder, Max offers to help her find the true killers. She knows she can’t trust him—that deals with a devil always come at a cost. But there’s no way she can survive on her own.

As they follow a trail of bodies into the city’s underworld, Nina feels a dangerous attraction pulling her ever closer to him. Can she trust her life and her heart to Valveron’s most ruthless criminal?