Angelique hates her magic. Her time in the magical academy has been a long chain of criticisms, reprimands, and punishments. Her war-like ability to control any weapon has earned her nothing but the fear and scorn of fellow students and instructors. And now, she finds herself before the highest council just one vote away from having her magic sealed forever.Until Enchanter Evariste appears.The mysterious prodigy is one of the few with the authority to go against the Council. Which is exactly what he does when he takes Angelique as his apprentice. Though his lessons are challenging and eccentric he shows her more kindness than she ever hoped to receive. Everything seems perfect.But things are changing in the world. Dark things. Evil things. Once upon a time is about to become very real¿

A psychopathic wizard. An immortal mage. An epic battle of wills. Nikolai doesn’t want much out of life: sex, immortality, and the power to disembowel anyone who crosses him. But with dark magic forbidden, his only option is Medea–a mage so deadly even the Enforcers give her a wide berth. Despite dire warnings that her apprentices don’t survive, Nikolai won’t stop until she agrees to train him. After all, he’s a killer himself. Barbaric and brutal, the training is a far cry from what Nikolai expects. When a mysterious illness strikes Nikolai down, he suspects he’s found the secret to Medea’s longevity. He resolves to find out what happened to her previous apprentices. If he can locate the source of her power, he can turn it against her. Medea swore off training dark wizards–none of them take the craft seriously and the ungrateful bastards always try to kill her. This one definitely seems the backstabbing type, but magic is dying out and she hasn’t felt such magical strength in centuries. If she can control the boy, show him that magic is more than curses and necromancy, he might obtain the power he desires. If not, well... What’s one more dead apprentice? If you enjoy dark fantasy with quirky, morally grey characters and humorous banter (but no romance), this is the book for you! Contains: - swearing, violence, some gore - some sex (not graphic) - no romance - manipulative protagonist that could be triggering to some - two neurodiverse leads (psychopathic and autistic)

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" might conjure up images of Mickey Mouse from the Disney film Fantasia, or of Harry Potter. As this anthology reveals, however, "sorcerer's apprentice" tales--in which a young person rebels against, or complies with, an authority who holds the keys to magical powers--have been told through the centuries, in many languages and cultures, from classical times to today. This unique and beautifully illustrated book brings together more than fifty sorcerer's apprentice stories by a plethora of writers, including Ovid, Sir Walter Scott, and the Brothers Grimm. From Goethe's "The Pupil in Magic" to A.K. Ramanujan's "The Guru and His Disciple," this expansive collection presents variations of a classic passed down through countries and eras. Readers enter worlds where household objects are brought to life and shape-shifting occurs from human to animal and back again. We meet two types of apprentice: "The Humiliated Apprentice," a foolish bumbler who wields magic ineffectively and promotes obedience to authority; and "The Rebellious Apprentice" who, through ambition and transformative skills, promotes empowerment and self-awareness. In an extensive introduction, esteemed fairy-tale scholar Jack Zipes discusses the significance and meaning of the apprentice stories, the contradictions in popular retellings, and the importance of magic as a tool of resistance against figures who abuse their authority.

Angelique's spirit is almost broken.She has sacrificed, she has trained, and she has driven herself to exhaustion while battling her way across the continent. But all her efforts have led to nothing. She still hasn't uncovered Evariste's location, or the identity of his captors.Yet the occurrences of evil magic across the continent show no sign of slowing. Wyverns, goblins, trolls, and other evil creatures have become almost commonplace. And the attacks on the royal families and her fellow mages have continued to escalate.When Angelique is ambushed by one of those who kidnapped Evariste, she is forced to face the truth: her core magic-which she despises-may be the only thing standing between her world and the coming darkness.For those who have captured Evariste aren't finished.And their plans are far older and more devastating than anyone could have guessed.

Her homeland under siege. A dark sorcerer hot on her trail. All the prophecies say Linden can stop him. Who are they kidding? Linden is the worst mage apprentice at her school. Her latest disaster: accidentally destroying her classroom when a small hooded figure pops up inside the fireball she's just conjured. Linden is sent to the headmaster's office to be formally expelled, when she is saved by the bell-quite literally. Someone is frantically ringing the bell inside the watchtower overlooking the western frontier. Soon, all the bells in town, from the government buildings to the chapels and private residences, are ringing out the same warning code. Raiders are coming, in broad daylight, wearing the uniforms of the enemy army. In the days following the raid, rumors begin to fly about the invading commander, with dark powers and an even darker mission. And for some reason Linden has yet to fathom, he's taken a personal interest in her and her unruly magic.

Evariste is gone.When he sacrificed himself to save Angelique, he was taken in her place. Now everything has gone horribly wrong.The magic council is too tied up in its bureaucracy to launch a real search effort. And though they have chased every clue, the other enchanters have failed to locate even a hint of him.With time ticking away, Angelique decides to do what no apprentice should ever do: set out on her own.As her search for Evariste leads her across the continent, she uncovers magic being used in dark and evil ways that hasn't been seen in centuries: a prince cursed to live as a beast, a land ruled by an evil ogre, and a selkie enslaved by a sea witch. None of these things should be happening. But they are. Fighting these dark powers will require magic Angelique has never attempted before, and demand more from her than she's ever been able to give.In the growing darkness, can Angelique harness her deadly magic without harming others? And how will the magic council punish her for her unsupervised spells?