Equilibrium: the Mage, the King, and the Raven.

"It's easy to see a light when it shines in the dark, but the void remains in the shadows."[EXCERPT - WARNING: MILD VIOLENCE]My hands roamed, searching for his dagger he concealed inside his jacket under the guise of drunken flirtation. The back of my hand brushed against cold metal. I’d found it, tucked in the inner pocket My speed enhanced from my magic, I acted faster than he could even see; I twisted my hand, grabbed the dagger, and in a vicious arc, sliced his throat.He didn’t even have time for his expression to register surprise; however, the second guard did, his face twisting in shock and anger as he lunged towards me. I didn’t even watch as the first man’s body fell. I turned to the second man now, barely noticing the flash of movement behind them that must be Dean fighting the third guard. The second man drew his weapon and lunged. Angry swipes of his long, thin sword were directed in a relentless, moderately skillful assault on my person. I easily evaded each attempt, stepping forward and closing the small gap between us. I still held the first guard’s dagger in my hand, keeping it close to my body, defending myself as I swerved around his blade. I increased the magical strength supporting my arms, feeling the buzzing of energy throughout my entire body. The man raised his weapon to try to slice at an angle; with my free hand, I caught the blow at the man’s wrist, with the other, I swiped at his throat just as I had with his colleague. It was just as effective now as it had been then; his throat was cleanly sliced by the well-sharpened blade. I examined the dagger and appreciated the blade’s quality, hearing the thud of another fallen body. The man who’d owned this had taken great care of it; I’d be keeping it.All of this happened in seconds. I allowed for the magic I’d been using to enhance my fighting abilities to dissipate, feeling warmth throughout my body as the excess energy released as heat. I sighed, satisfied. Examining the aftermath, I saw Dean breathing heavily, standing over his victim. Dean’s guard appeared to still be alive; he had simply knocked him out after disarming him. The guard had a nasty bump on his head, already growing and turning purple. “You good?” I asked, gesturing towards the man lying on the ground. Dean nodded and pointed his eyes towards my victims.“Looks like you’re fine,” he responded, sounding a little concerned. [END EXCERPT][--SYNOPSIS--]Larke Fields, a deadly warrior mage, tests herself against her own scruples and promises. While on an undercover mission, she meets a handsome criminal, a deadly leader, and an old friend, along with her past, present, and possibly her future. Will what she's learned about herself be enough to save her loved ones and restore balance to the rea