Destroyer

Ru, an archaeologist and scholar, has long believed magic is real even when her peers dismiss her. When she is summoned to examine a strange artifact found in the ruins of a destroyed city, she becomes drawn to it in ways she cannot explain.

After touching the artifact, Ru wakes to devastation and meets Fen, a mysterious stranger who helps her survive. She is brought into the orbit of the kingdom’s academic and political powers, where officials, cult-like figures, and rivals all want answers about the artifact.

As Ru studies what the artifact is and what it means, she is forced to navigate suspicion, secrets, and a growing connection with Fen. The investigation deepens into a struggle over power, truth, and the dark force tied to the artifact, ending in a setup for the next book.