PRAISE FOR THE KATE DANIELS NOVELS

  MAGIC SLAYS

  “Delivers nonstop action and a few surprises while adding considerable background and depth to Kate’s character as she begins stretching her magic usage . . . Top-notch urban fantasy.”

  —Monsters and Critics

  “Fast, witty, and descriptive. Kate is a strong female lead, and Curran is perfect for her.”

  —LoveVampires

  “Simply amazing. The Kate Daniels series honestly gets better with each new release. I had high hopes for this book, and the authors simply blew me away with the quality and depth of this story.”

  —Night Owl Reviews

  “It takes both talent and hard work to keep a series consistently high quality . . . Andrews’s intricate, detailed world-building provides such a rich backdrop for the story that it nearly becomes a character itself. Add in clearly defined and layered characters, not to mention amazing kick-butt action, and you’ve got one unbeatable series.”

  —RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, top pick)

  “The conclusion is heart-stopping as Kate fights to secure Atlanta’s survival in a dramatic finale that left me satisfied but ready for book six. Ilona Andrews once again hits a game-winning home run with Magic Slays.”

  —Smexy Books

  MAGIC BLEEDS

  “At times I felt like I needed to take a break from the book due to [its] just being too engrossing, too brilliant for my little heart . . . Magic Bleeds is the best yet of this series!”

  —Night Owl Reviews

  “Ilona Andrews is one of the few authors whose books just keep getting better . . . It’s books like Magic Bleeds that make television and movies seem like an inferior form of entertainment.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “I have read and reread this book, and it’s perfect. The action, the romance, the plot and suspense . . . I cannot wait for the fifth in the series.”

  —Smexy Books

  “Balancing petrifying danger with biting humor is an Andrews specialty, leaving readers both grinning and gasping. Put this on your auto-buy list immediately!”

  —RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, top pick)

  “Delivers on the promise of ‘One hell of a good read.’ You will not be disappointed!”

  —ParaNormal Romance.org

  MAGIC STRIKES

  “Andrews’s crisp dialogue and layered characterization make the gut-wrenching action of this first-person thrill ride all the more intense . . . Mesmerizing.”

  —RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, top pick)

  “Andrews blends action-packed fantasy with myth and legend, keeping readers enthralled. Magic Strikes introduces fascinating characters, provides a plethora of paranormal skirmishes, and teases fans with romantic chemistry.”

  —Darque Reviews

  “Ilona Andrews’s best novel to date, cranking up the action, danger, and magic . . . Gritty sword-clashing action and flawless characterizations will bewitch fans, old and new alike.”

  —Sacramento Book Review

  “Doses of humor serve to lighten the suspense and taut action of this vividly drawn, kick-butt series.”

  —Monsters and Critics

  “Magic Strikes was a riveting, heart-pounding ride. Story lines advance, truths are admitted, intriguing characters are introduced, and the romance between Kate and Curran develops a sweetness that is simply delightful.”

  —Dear Author

  “Write faster . . . I absolutely love the relationship between Curran and Kate—I laugh out loud with the witty sarcasm and one-liners, and the sexual tension building between the couples drives me to my knees, knowing I’ll have to wait for another book.”

  —SFRevu

  MAGIC BURNS

  “With all her problems, secrets, and prowess both martial and magical, Kate is a great kick-ass heroine, a tough girl with a heart, and her adventures . . . are definitely worth checking out.”

  —Locus

  “Fans of Carrie Vaughn and Patricia Briggs will appreciate this fast-paced, action-packed urban fantasy full of magic, vampires, werebeasties, and things that go bump in the night.”

  —Monsters and Critics

  “[Magic Burns] hooked me completely. With a fascinating, compelling plot, a witty, intelligent heroine, a demonic villain, and clever, wry humor throughout, this story has it all.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “A new take on the urban fantasy genre, the world Kate inhabits is a blend of gritty magic and dangerous mystery.”

  —The Parkersburg News and Sentinel

  “If you enjoy Laurell K. Hamilton’s early Anita Blake or the works of Patricia Briggs and Kim Harrison, you need to add Ilona Andrews to your reading list.”

  —LoveVampires

  “Andrews . . . demonstrates her mastery at balancing dark humor, clever mystery, and supernatural jeopardy. Andrews is the total package!”

  —RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, top pick)

  MAGIC BITES

  “Treat yourself to a splendid new urban fantasy . . . I am looking forward to the next book in the series or anything else Ilona Andrews writes.”

  —Patricia Briggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Frost Burned

  “Andrews shows a great deal of promise. Readers fond of Laurell K. Hamilton and Patricia Briggs may find her work a new source of reading pleasure.”

  —SFRevu

  “Andrews’s edgy series stands apart from similar fantasies . . . owing to its complex world-building and skilled characterizations.”

  —Library Journal

  “Fans of urban fantasy will delight in Ilona Andrews’s alternate-universe Atlanta.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “The strong story line coupled with a complex alternative history . . . will have readers hoping for more.”

  —Monsters and Critics

  Ace Books by Ilona Andrews

  The Kate Daniels Novels

  MAGIC BITES

  MAGIC BURNS

  MAGIC STRIKES

  MAGIC BLEEDS

  MAGIC SLAYS

  MAGIC RISES

  The World of Kate Daniels

  GUNMETAL MAGIC

  The Edge Novels

  ON THE EDGE

  BAYOU MOON

  FATE’S EDGE

  STEEL’S EDGE

  Specials

  MAGIC MOURNS

  MAGIC DREAMS

  MAGIC RISES

  ILONA ANDREWS

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  USA | Canada | UK | Ireland | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa | China

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  For more information about the Penguin Group, visit penguin.com.

  MAGIC RISES

  An Ace Book / published by arrangement with Ilona Andrews, Inc.

  Copyright © 2013 by Andrew Gordon and Ilona Gordon.

  “An Ill-Advised Rescue” by Ilona Andrews copyright © 2013

  by Andrew Gordon and Ilona Gordon.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors’ rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  Ace Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group.

  ACE and the “A” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-101-62487-6

  PUBLISHING HISTORY

  Ace mass-market edition / August 2013

  Cover art by Juliana Kolesva.

  Cover design by Jason Gill.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  Contents

  Praise

  Also by Ilona Andrews

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  EPILOGUE

  Authors’ Note

  “An Ill-Advised Rescue”

  About the Authors

  To our fathers, wherever
they may be

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Before we dive into acknowledgments, please note that we’ve included a bonus short story of Saiman’s rescue. It’s toward the end of the book, but you may want to read it first.

  * * *

  We would like to thank Anne Sowards, our editor, for believing in us and always working on making the book better. We also would like to thank our agent, Nancy Yost, for all of her help and her friendship.

  Many other people have worked on creating these books. Michelle Kasper, the production editor, and Jamie Snider, the assistant production editor, oversaw the process of turning a manuscript into a finished book. Judith Lagerman, the art director; Juliana Kolesva, the artist; and Jason Gill, the cover designer, created a stunning cover. Amy Schneider had the difficult job of copyediting our mess. Rebecca Brewer, Anne’s editorial assistant, and Sarah E. Younger, of Nancy Yost Literary Agency, valiantly tried to deal with our requests. We are deeply grateful to all of you.

  Special thanks to the beta readers who helped make this book better: Ericka Brooks, Ying Areerat, Hasna Saadani, Laura Hobbs, Michelle Kubecka, Wendy Baceski, Joyce Casement, William Stonier, and others.

  And finally, thank you to you, dear readers, for believing in Kate Daniels and her twisted world.

  CHAPTER 1

  I spun the spear. “One more argument and I’ll ground you.”

  Julie rolled her eyes with all the scorn a fourteen-year-old could muster and pushed her blond hair away from her face. “Kate, like when will I ever use this in real life?”

  “You’ll use it in the next five seconds to keep me from impaling you.”

  In my twenty-six years, I’ve held many jobs. Teaching wasn’t one of them. Mostly I killed people in bloody and creative ways. But Julie was my ward and my responsibility, and practicing with a spear was good for her. It built muscle, reflexes, and balance, and she would need all three when we moved on to the sword.

  Several decades ago magic returned to our world, crushing our technological civilization and whatever illusion of safety we had with it. Magic and technology still fought over us, playing with the planet like two kids tossing a ball to each other. When one functioned, the other didn’t.

  The cops did the best they could, but half of the time the phones didn’t work and all available officers responded to important emergencies, like saving schoolchildren from a flock of ravenous harpies. Meanwhile, with resources scarce and life cheap, people did a fine job preying on each other. Smart citizens didn’t go out at night. If the lowlifes didn’t get you, the magic aberrations with giant teeth would.

  Every person was responsible for his or her own safety, and we relied on magic, guns, and blades. Julie’s magic was rare, and highly prized, but useless in combat. Seeing the colors of magic wouldn’t help her to kill a vampire. My best friend, Andrea, was teaching her to handle guns. I couldn’t hit an elephant with a gun at ten feet, although I could probably bludgeon it to death. Melee weapons, those I could teach.

  I struck at Julie’s midsection, moving slow like molasses. She rotated her spear like an oar and slapped mine, knocking it down.

  “And?”

  She gave me a completely blank look. Most of the time Julie took practice seriously, but on days like this some switch malfunctioned in her head, disconnecting her brain from her body. There was probably some way to snap her out of it, some right “mom” words I could say, but I had found Julie about a year ago on the street and the whole parent thing was still new to me. My mother died before I could form any memories of her, so I didn’t have any experience to fall back on.

  To make things worse, I’d used magic to save Julie’s life. She couldn’t refuse a direct order from me, although she didn’t know it and I was determined to keep it that way. I’d slipped up a few times and learned that intonation had a lot to do with it. As long as I gave her instructions instead of barking commands at her, she had no problem ignoring me.

  Around us the Pack woods teemed with life. The afternoon sun shone bright. Leaves rustled in the breeze. Squirrels dashed to and fro on the branches, completely undeterred by several hundred werecarnivores living next door. In the distance the faint sound of chainsaws rumbled—the narrow road leading to the Keep was in danger of becoming impassable and a team of shapeshifters had been dispatched this morning to cut down some of the trees.

  A yellow butterfly floated up. Julie watched it.

  I pulled my spear back, reversed it, and stabbed her in the left shoulder with the butt.

  “Ow!”

  I sighed. “Pay attention, please.”

  Julie made a face. “My arm hurts.”

  “Then you better block me, so I don’t make something else hurt.”

  “This is child abuse.”

  “You’re whining. We’re doing oar block.”

  I spun the spear business end forward and stabbed at her again, in slow motion. Julie pinned my spear with hers and stayed there.

  “Don’t just sit there with your spear. You have an opening, might want to do something about it.”

  She raised her spear and made a halfhearted attempt to stab me in the chest. I gave her a second to recover, but she didn’t move. That was it. I’d had it.

  I turned the spear and swept her legs from under her. She fell on her back and I drove the spear into the ground a couple of inches from her neck. She blinked, pale blond hair fanned out wide from her head.

  “What’s your deal today?”

  “Kevin asked Maddie to the Moon Dance.”

  Maddie, a werebear, was Julie’s best friend. The Moon Dance was the Pack’s way of letting the teenagers blow off steam—every other Friday evening, provided the magic was down, the shapeshifters hauled the speakers out and blasted dance music from the Keep’s battlements. Being invited to the Moon Dance by a boy was understandably a big deal. It still didn’t explain why two months of lessons and spear practice had vanished from my ward’s head.

  “So?”

  “I’m supposed to help pick the outfit for tomorrow,” Julie said, lying there like a slug.

  “And this is more important than practice?”

  “Yes!”

  I pulled my spear out. “Fine. Go do your thing. You’ll owe me an hour on Saturday.” No force on the planet could make her concentrate when she got like this, so making her practice was a waste of time anyway.

  The slug-child turned into a nimble gazelle and sprang to her feet. “Thank you!”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  We headed out of the woods. The world blinked for a second and a tide of magic splashed us, drowning the woods. The chainsaws sputtered and died, followed by loud cursing.

  The official name for the phenomenon was post-Shift resonance, but everyone referred to it as magic waves. They’d come out of nowhere and roll across the world, snuffing out electricity, killing internal combustion engines, strangling guns, and spitting out monsters. Then the magic would vanish, the electric lights came on, and firearms once again became deadly. Nobody could predict how strong a wave would be or how long it would last. It made for a chaotic life, but we persevered.

  The trees parted, revealing a vast grassy field. In the middle of it the Keep rose like a gray man-made mountain, an example of what happened if several hundred deeply paranoid and superhumanly strong people got together and decided they needed a safe place to crash. From one angle, the Keep resembled a modern fortress, from another, a medieval castle. We approached from the north, which gave us a view of the main tower, and from here the place looked like a grim, foreboding high-rise, complete with a penthouse, where Curran and I made our lair.

  It wasn’t always this way. We hadn’t started out by looking at each other and instantly deciding we were soul mates. When we met, he thought I was a reckless merc who defied authority because I felt like it, and I thought he was an arrogant bastard who had enough issues to fill the Keep from top to bottom. But now we were together. He was the Beast Lord and I was his Consort, which put me in a position of authority over fifteen hundred shapeshifters, the largest pack in the South. I didn’t want the responsibility, and given the choice, I would run as far as I could away from it, but it was the price I had to pay to stay with Curran. I loved him and he was worth it. He was worth everything.