A Single Brutal Fate — Lee Paige O'Brien

A powerful spellcaster must find an ancient archive and escape a dangerous bargain to save their friend -- and themself -- in the second book in The Broken Tower saga, which New York Times bestselling author Andrew Joseph White called “a twisting, creeping mystery full of tenuous friendships, difficult choices, and beautiful magic.”

Rat Evans knows that they shouldn't have made a deal with Isola, a shadowy raven knight older than the stars and more powerful than the strongest arcanists. They know Isola can't be trusted, know that promising to go with her once all of this is over was a mistake. But they'd needed to make sure their friends were safe -- that Harker was safe, even though they're still not sure if he's a friend or a rival or something more complicated. Rat hadn't been expecting Harker to go willingly with Isola, to be trapped in the tower for months.

They need to search Bellamy Arts for answers on how to get Isola's heart out of the Ingrid Collection. Even though Rat's magic usually allows them to see hidden passages and open any lock, when they tried to get into the Collection last time, the doors wouldn't open. With the help of Jinx, Agatha, and Will, Rat searches for answers, but Evening and his new apprentice are fast on their heels.

As Rat tries to use their powers to unravel the secrets of Isola's heart and the Collection, the more they realize how intertwined they may be in all of this -- and that their role may be a dangerous and deadly one. Will Rat find a way to escape their deal and save the boy they care about most? And what are they willing to risk in order to make sure that the tower and Isola are razed to the ground, for good this time? Enthralling and filled with twists, the second book in The Broken Tower saga combines the dark academia aesthetic of A Lesson in Vengeance with the queer rage of Hell Followed With Us, and will have readers tearing through the pages to see how this duology ends.