The Hidden Threat

Summary

Some criminals hide in the shadows. Others change the game entirely.

When a routine jewel theft leads to an unexpected confrontation on a rooftop, Paranormal Defense Agent Izzie Berens thinks she's wrapping up a standard case. But when the suspect—a winged Arpak—hurls a magical artifact at her before collapsing, it sets off a chain reaction that exposes something far more sinister lurking beneath Austin's magical underworld.

What starts as a simple takedown quickly spirals into a deadly mystery when an unregistered magical creature attacks a city cop, surviving gunshots, stun spells, and even anti-magic rounds. The problem? He wasn't supposed to be magical at all. As Izzie and her partner Rafe dig deeper, they uncover traces of dark magic that shouldn't exist—powerful, insidious, and growing stronger by the day.

With tensions rising and the Arcane Syndicate's influence spreading like wildfire, Izzie is forced to confront an unsettling truth: this isn't just another case. This is the beginning of something bigger, something designed to rewrite the rules of magic itself. And if she doesn't stop it in time, Austin—and the entire magical world—may never be the same.