Candlelighter

A High Father is murdered by a syndicate hit squad, known as sweepers, and the only witness is a poor, teenage candlelighter. Chased through the capital city of Cruxia, she must use all her streetsmarts and meager resources to stay alive. An investigator who's fenced with prejudice her whole life is told to bury the file, along with her love-struck assistant wizard. The case unravels the fabric of the city, revealing a long-standing conspiracy, and pulls in a sober ex-sweeper who wants nothing to do with the old life. The hit squad is under heavy pressure and their machinations just might break the whole empire in half. A mix of fantasy and noir, CANDLELIGHTER is the first book in the Legends of Cruxia series by Carter Reynolds.