In Power and Knowledge (Through Black Mirrors Book 1)

Description

Forever marked with the mwiko, a magical tattoo to identify mages with affinity to black magic, Joan was destined to never use her aura or risk death. As such, she had resorted to doing odd jobs in the streets such as soothsaying and a little bit of stealing to earn her keep and that of her siblings. Being of dark-ebony skin, also, did not help as her kind were abhorred by the locals, and thus most of them resorted to begging in the streets. Her nimble fingers were what brought her under the employ of Monsieur Clement, a powerful and respected mage, who was also one of the elders governing her realm.

Her simple life takes on a dramatic twist when she is sent on a mission to steal the legendary Book of the Dead from Haustoria, an elder who is the head of the fire faction that houses the mages with the gift of fire. While there, she tries to get her hands on the book but is prevented by Casus, a talented fire mage who is keen on protecting the book.

As a last resort to protect herself from combusting into flames, she unleashes her death-black aura and the two forces collide, opening a portal to the Underworld where they meet Hecate, their guardian and a goddess who they had earlier been made to believe never existed. They soon come to realize that the Elders, the protectors of their realm, are not who they appear to be and that the two of them are part of a much bigger premeditated plan of the gods to put an end to their tyranny.