Duck and Cover: The Tainted City by Courtney Schafer

Courtney Schafer has posted the new cover for The Tainted City (US preorder), the sequel to her excellent The Whitefire Crossing (my review).

(Thanks to Bastard Books for the heads up)

I really like it, while the magic is exciting, the characters pictured have me curious as to what mischief they're up to. I guess you might like some blurbage too:

Dev is a desperate man. After narrowly surviving a smuggling job gone wrong, he's now a prisoner of the Alathian Council, held hostage to ensure his friend Kiran - former apprentice to one of the most ruthless mages alive - does their bidding.

But Kiran isn't Dev's only concern. Back in his home city of Ninavel, the child he once swore to protect faces a terrible fate if he can't reach her in time, and the days are fast slipping away. So when the Council offers Dev freedom in exchange for his and Kiran's assistance in a clandestine mission to Ninavel, he can't refuse, no matter how much he distrusts their motives.

Once in Ninavel the mission proves more treacherous than even Dev could have imagined. Betrayed by allies, forced to aid their enemies, he and Kiran must confront the darkest truths of their pasts if they hope to save those they love and survive their return to the Tainted City.