City of Souls and Sinners by Kayla Edward

Here is a summary with spoilers of City of Souls and Sinners

Things seem to have settled down after the events of the first book. Loren and Darien’s relationship is strong, though Loren’s magic remains gone, and no one recalls the events surrounding the well. Meanwhile, Darien continues to battle his Surges.

Loren reconnects with her estranged father, Erasmus, over an awkward dinner. She has many questions, but Erasmus refuses to answer, leaving her frustrated. On Darien’s end, he encounters trouble with his father and the Magical Protections Unit (MPU). The MPU confronts Darien, insisting that he and the Devils assist in dismantling an arms trade connected to his father, Randal. If they refuse, the MPU threatens to imprison them. Darien is inclined to help, but his sister, Ivy, fears he’ll become like their father and advises against it. Forced to find alternative allies, Darien turns to Malakai for assistance.

Max also gains a narrative arc, encountering a mysterious girl he nearly hits with his car. She doesn’t speak their language, but they learn her name is Blue. She was abducted, escaped, and now has a significant bounty on her head. For a brief moment, Loren can understand Blue, though the connection is fleeting.

Loren begins experiencing strange health issues, feeling weak and drained. She notices figures watching her and receives a cryptic text, which she dismisses. Soon after, Terran Imperator reveals himself as her stalker. He demands Loren’s help in locating the well, which, unbeknownst to anyone, wasn’t destroyed but remains hidden in the city. To ensure her compliance, Terran places a spell on Loren that prevents her from communicating her predicament.

Loren attempts to signal for help but fails. One night, she stumbles upon Darien and others interrogating someone in a grisly scene, leaving her shaken. Before she can process it, Terran summons her again, forcing her to search for the well. She has ten days to regain her magic, or there will be dire consequences. Secretly, Loren begins collecting evidence, hoping to one day show Darien and expose her predicament.

To focus on recovering her magic, Loren distances herself from Darien, breaking his heart. She seeks out Agatha, a woman skilled in botany, for help. Agatha agrees to teach her but warns that the drug Venom, which temporarily restores Loren’s magic, could lead to addiction.

In her search for answers, Loren ventures into a dangerous part of town, where she encounters the Pale Man. He cryptically warns her that using her magic could result in Darien’s death. Startled, Loren accidentally triggers a magic surge that freezes time, allowing her to escape.

Meanwhile, Blue’s backstory begins to unravel. Her aura is linked to water magic, and she’s suspected of killings around the city. Vampires are also being targeted, adding to the chaos.

When a demon attacks Loren’s school, she reluctantly calls Darien for help. While he saves her, Loren continues to avoid him, fearing the consequences of her spell. Her investigation leads her to Mortifer, a creature tied to the Devils, who provides her with critical information about the well.

In another subplot, Max and Dallas share a heartfelt moment. Max expresses his love, urging Dallas to be honest about her feelings, but she remains focused on her studies and family expectations.

The story takes a darker turn when a demon taunts Darien before heading to a carnival where Loren, Lace, and Blue are. Darien uses all his magic to save Loren and defeat the demon but collapses from exhaustion.

Desperate to break her silence, Loren lures Darien to the veil and injects him with the same drug Terran uses on her. The spell is momentarily lifted, and Darien realizes Loren’s inability to communicate. Together, they discover a tear in the veil, explaining the influx of monsters and demons.

Back in the city, Darien bargains with the Widow to remove Loren’s spell, exchanging his blood for a potion Loren must unknowingly consume. Once the spell breaks, Loren reveals everything to the group, and she and Darien reconcile.

The group devises a plan to seal the veil. During the operation, Loren is abducted and nearly killed within the veil. She escapes, but Darien uses all his strength to protect her and collapses. Loren, determined to save him, sacrifices her magic to heal him and uses her remaining power to seal the veil. Drained, Loren collapses, her heart stopping.

Max and Darien perform CPR, and Darien, in a last-ditch effort, uses veil magic to restart her heart. Loren survives but falls into a coma.

Two days later, Darien is a broken man. The Devils inform him that someone targeted his mother’s restaurant, burning it down. Fueled by rage, Darien investigates and confronts the Pale Man. The Pale Man reveals that for Loren to live, Darien must die.