Between Life and Death by Jaclyn Kot

“His eyes returned to mine, that invisible tether between us strung too tight.
That magnetic pull, it was unbreakable, unyielding. Eternal.
And it demanded that we collide.”

On the secluded continent of Edenvale, possessing magic is a death sentence. Those who have it are labelled Cursed, and by order of the king, they are Cleansed—a horrific event utilizing a hot, hungry pyre and an iron collar. Enemy to the king, a group known as the Cursed rebels defend their lands from his reach, creating an ongoing, bloodthirsty war.
When Sage’s brother is conscripted for the war, she is forced to trade in her cozy, peaceful cottage life and join the Cursed rebels to get him back. Her mission seems straightforward, but Von, the leader of the Cursed rebels, comes riddled with dark secrets. With his otherworldly eyes, black as a starless night, and a taste for juicy thigh—ahem—red apples, Sage knows better than to get involved with a guy like him. But knowing and doing are two very different things.

Together with the Cursed rebels and Von, the king of inky deals and sexy, stolen moments, Sage embarks on the quest of a lifetime.

Little does she know that fate is at work and the gods are watching her every move.