Arcana Academy by Elise Kova

Here is a summary with spoilers for Arcana Academy by Elise Kova

Clara Graysword (not her real last name) is an orphaned Arcanist who was imprisoned in the infamous Halazar Prison for inking tarot cards, a forbidden art. Clara holds onto hope that she can somehow use her magic or rely on her family to break her out.

Clara is then summoned to visit Prince Kaelis, second son of the Oricalis family and headmaster of Arcana Academy. He wants to know more about her magical tarot skills and discuss the act that landed her in prison, but she refuses to talk. Kaelis then offers her a bargain—one that would free her from her life sentence at Halazar. There is a tarot card no one has been able to find: the World card, which holds ultimate power. He wants her help to find it, and she agrees.

To make things go smoothly, Kaelis announces that Clara is a lost noble and his future bride. While Clara hates that this is the lie he came up with, she agrees that it gives her some protection. Not only does it protect her, but it also hides the truth that she was once a prisoner.

While at Arcana Academy, Clara’s first goal is to find her sister Arina, but she never does. It devastates her, yet Clara must hold her head high and continue pretending to be Kaelis’s betrothed. While snooping around, Clara discovers the Major Arcana, a powerful group who embody the legendary tarot cards. They bring her into their ranks and give her the Wheel of Fortune card.

Now part of the group, Kaelis reveals his plan: he needs Clara to forge the final cards to help him steal the World card from his father, King Naethor. She agrees, though she struggles to harness and control the powers from the Wheel of Fortune card.

Eventually, the school celebrates the Fire Festival, marking the start of the academic year. Part of the evening requires Clara and her peers to sacrifice the Arcanum Chalice. For Clara, this means giving up the possibility of love with her past lover, Liam. The challenge hurts her, but she gains a few allies and classmates—Luren, Sorza, Dristin, and Kel—each with their own magical powers.

Clara continues searching for her sister, believing Arina is part of the Worldkeepers organization, who ironically protect the World card. A student named Silas helps Clara locate the group. After finding them, they tell her that Arina was taken from the academy and killed, though no body was recovered. Clara then goes straight to Kaelis and demands answers. He says something similar—that a body was never found and that an investigation uncovered nothing. After this moment of vulnerability, Kaelis asks that Clara and he truly work together as one. She agrees.

One of their first missions together is attending a royal ball, where Clara must act noble and appear in love with Kaelis. It isn’t difficult until her old lover Liam arrives, threatening to expose their plan. Before Liam can ruin things, Kaelis and Clara share a kiss to distract him and the others.

A constant pain in her side is another student, Eza. He is from a royal house and constantly bullies and belittles Clara. He even attacks her during their studies, making him a personal rival she’s determined to defeat.

Clara continues searching for her sister and starts to uncover secrets of her own: that Kaelis did not put her in prison and that she may have been betrayed by someone close to her—possibly Silas. When she confronts Kaelis, he insists he didn’t do it, but she won’t believe it until she discovers the truth. Clara also learns how to use her tarot card: her blood is required to activate it. Kaelis warns her to be careful with that power.

Clara and Kaelis maintain the pretense of being betrothed, since no one can know she escaped prison. They both seem to have feelings for each other but deliberately keep their distance. That changes when they attend another ball and meet the King, who questions why they are not always seen together. Kaelis is forced to announce that they are moving in together, giving Clara a new home. She likes the idea of him being close but hates it at the same time.

Clara believes she has found a lead on her sister’s death, and Kaelis accompanies her in support. After much searching, they find Arina’s remains—only bones left. They gather them, and Clara brings them to the Worldkeepers to bury what’s left of her. She then falls into a deep depression and isolates herself from everyone, including Kaelis.

As the time for her final trial approaches, Eza confronts her and warns her to fail, or there will be dire consequences. During the trial, Clara faces a series of tests and ultimately a magical duel against Eza. The fight starts badly for her, but after Eza makes a mistake, Clara gains the upper hand and wins. Kaelis takes her to his room to heal before the final ceremony. There are only a few spots available in the academy, and Clara earns the last one—leaving Eza without. Enraged, Eza begins to reveal that Clara was once a prisoner, but Kaelis stops him before he can say more. Eza is escorted to Halazar Prison.

Now that Clara has been admitted to the academy, she’s given a new dorm room. Kaelis tells her to leave his chambers and move into her own. Unsure what to make of his coldness, Clara moves out but gets the cold shoulder from him for days. Angry, she seeks him out for answers, which leads to the two of them sleeping together.

As the school prepares for the Feast of Cups—the final event and celebration of the year—Clara sets her sights on a much darker plan: poisoning the king. On the night of the ball, however, her secret is revealed. Everyone learns she was once a prisoner living under a false identity. With no other choice, Clara flees. She manages to give Kaelis a quick kiss, and he understands why she must go. But before she can escape, she is caught. Her captors’ final words put her on edge as they order, “Put her in the same place as her sister.”