Heroes at Risk — Moira J. Moore

In a realm beset by natural disasters, only the magical abilities of the bonded Pairs -- Source and Shield -- make the land habitable and keep the citizenry safe. The ties that bind them are far beyond the relationships between lovers or kin -- and last their entire lives. Whether they like it or not. ..

Now that Shield Lee Mallorough and her incredibly handsome Source, Shintaro Karish, have done their fair share of grunt work in the Southern Islands, they have returned to the city of High Scape to resume their duties as a Pair. But upon their arrival, they discover that the city once besieged by immense disaster seems to have calmed down. Instead, the townspeople are obsessed with a ritualistic magic -- one that anyone can study and learn.

Lee most certainly doesn't believe in magic -- or at least not this kind. But she can't deny that tomb robbing for ashes to use in spells is rather disturbing, especially when even the living are being murdered for their remains. Lee fears that Taro is in grave danger, for who could be thought to work better as a charm than her handsome and talented Source?