In a rotten and bloody world, four magical rivals are forced to work together to avoid certain death in a deadly competition. A queer, gothic fantasy YA, perfect for fans of The Atlas Six and Gideon the Ninth.

Entombed beneath a tooth-filled sky, the world rots. Those yet to succumb to the decay inhabit Fourspires Castle, home to arcanists from across the four magical disciplines – blood, bone, stone and botany.

The castle is thrown into chaos when the ruler of Fourspires is assassinated. To crown a new ruler, the arcanists and their familiars are forced to kill or be killed in a bloody fight to the top of the fifth tower. Familiars, both servants and sources of power to arcanists, are forbidden from even speaking. For them, the competition will mean certain death.

One botanical familiar, Nixie, receives a tip that her fate can be avoided and the curse of Fourspires lifted if she and three fellow familiars find four curse keys and take them to the Fifth Tower themselves. It's illegal, dangerous and nigh impossible without people to trust – something Nixie certainly lacks. But with just 48 hours spare until the competition, she and three tenuous allies must decide if they can bear to co-operate for just long enough to save themselves.