Never Hollowed By The Stare

The Mage and His Brute: Stolen Magic – Ava Marie Salinger

Magic defines who they are. But what happens when that power can be stolen?

In a Victorian London where magical privilege divides society, Duke Evander Ravenwood and Viggo Stonewall have forged more than just an alliance—they’ve fallen in love. But their happiness is short-lived when a new threat emerges from the shadows of London’s magical society.

A renowned professor from the Royal Institute for the Arcane has vanished, leaving behind whispers of forbidden magic and mysterious experiments. As Evander begins to investigate, complications arise with the arrival of his enigmatic former lover from Paris. An expert called in to help, Leon Beaulieu brings old emotions and new secrets to light and soon becomes a source of jealousy for Viggo.

Meanwhile, troubling rumours reach the Nightshade network: thralls linked to noble families are disappearing across London. Determined to track down the perpetrator, Viggo and his friends are drawn into a perilous hunt for an elusive adversary working from the shadows.

Realising their cases are intertwined, Evander and Viggo join forces to unravel the mysteries behind the professor’s disappearance and the missing thralls. But their search soon plunges them into a web of conspiracies rooted in decades-old betrayals and ambition—where nothing, and no one, is quite as it seems.

As allies become adversaries and the true mastermind closes in, Evander and Viggo will need their wits—and their trust in each other—if they’re to survive the darkness gathering around them.

Stolen Magic is a spellbinding tale of magic, mystery, and romance that will captivate readers from the first page to the last. Perfect for fans of historical fantasy and LGBT romance, this second instalment in The Mage and His Brute series promises an unforgettable journey through a London where love and magic intertwine in the most unexpected ways.

Stolen Magic is the second book of the historical fantasy series The Mage and His Brute by Ava Marie Salinger. It picks up where Arcane Entanglement left off, with dark mages exploiting magicless thralls for nefarious reasons.

Scotland Yard’s Special Arcane Investigator Duke Evander Ravenwood and his team are tasked with finding missing professors from the Royal Institute for the Arcane. Meanwhile, his lover Viggo Stonewall and Nightshade investigate the disappearance of thralls, only to discover the two cases are connected.

I’m glad the main case isn’t a murder mystery, which is a nice change from the usual police procedural. Viggo and Evander initially pursue separate leads until the overlap becomes clear.

Just to spice things up, Evander’s ex and fellow Special Arcane Investigator, Comte Leon Beaulieu, enters the scene to assist, as one of the missing professors was from France. This got Viggo’s hackles up.

Viggo and Evander were refreshingly drama-free despite Leon’s efforts to rekindle old flames. Amid frantic investigations, it’s super sweet how they always make time to be together at the end of their busy day. They’re total relationship goals!

The only sour note is Jasper, Evander’s manservant, who is creepily invested in his master’s sex life. His salacious comments quickly turned from gag to grating

The atrocities done to the downtrodden thralls were even more horrific in this installment. They were used as experimental human conduits to transfer magic, which led to agonizing deaths.

While the villains and twists are somewhat predictable and the fight scenes less intense than in book one, the case itself is compelling. And Evander unleashing his archmage powers to their fullest was glorious!

The unexpected teamwork between Viggo and Leon was a fun bonus. They might actually become friends if they keep this up.

Stolen Magic continues the fight for justice against overprivileged mages. Though lighter on surprises and action, overall, it still delivers heart, thrills, and magic.

Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and love

Soundtrack: Conduit
Artist: The Spill Canvas
Album: Conduit

P.S.

The Mage and His Brute is best read in order.

Watch a kungfu-fighting archmage and a trainstopping brute get twisted up in each other in Arcane Entanglement

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