In the realm of Uskhanya, Creije is the city of magic, filled with dreamers who wander from the floating railways, and the buskers who sell them dangerous charms on the streets. It’s a city as beautiful as it is deadly. When the Kingpin of the realm, in charge of the deadliest magic, invents a new elixir that threatens Creije, four of its most infamous crooks team up to take him down and save the city they love. But not everything is as it seems in a world of dark magic. They can trust nobody.  Especially each other . . .

Meet the Characters of  Into the Crooked Place and the upcoming City of Spells

Tavia

• Full name: Tavia Syn
• Age: 17
• Occupation: Busker (buying and selling magic, street performing, being a general bad-ass).
• Originally from: Volo, but her mother came to Creije when she was a baby.
• Wants: To escape Creije and have a choice about the type of person she can become.

After her mother died from a mysterious magical sickness, Tavia was orphaned on the streets of Creije, and then recruited to sell dark magic for the Kingpin. But now she’s the best busker the city has, with no shortage of tricks up her sleeves (so keep an eye out if she gets anywhere near your valuables. Things are prone to going missing around her). Tavia loves magic just as much as she loves black lipstick and her knuckle dusters. She just doesn’t love having to do it for the Kingpin. But that’s fine because she only has a few months left on her life-debt to him. After that, she’s free to leave Creije and travel the world. To escape the awful memories she has of her mother’s death. buy Bactroban generic andnewonlineblo.com over the counter And she won’t miss anyone when she leaves. Least of all Wesley Thornton Walcott.  Nope. Not one bit.

Wesley

• Full name: Wesley Thornton Walcott (and you’ll do well to remember it)
• Age: 19
• Occupation: Underboss of Creije, controlling the city’s black magic trade for the Kingpin. Also running the Crook, which is the only place to be if you have a great suit and want great magic.
• Originally from: It doesn’t matter where he’s from, Wesley was made in Creije. It’s his city.
• Wants: To keep Creije safe. And to make sure Tavia stays out of trouble (which is a full-time job).

Wesley is the youngest underboss in history and under his control black magic in Creije is thriving. So you’re welcome. He’s the Kingpin’s favorite and he’s earned it; not everyone can run a city and look so good doing it, you know (his collection of suits and bow-ties is envied across the realm).  Wesley has everything he needs. Except friends, but you can’t have friends when you’re an underboss. That’s why he had to cut himself off from Tavia. It’s why they can never be together. buy avapro generic andnewonlineblo.com over the counter But enough of that, this is about Creije. Creije is Wesley’s home and there’s nothing he loves more than his city, so he’ll do anything to protect it. Including usurping the Kingpin.  Loyalty is for suckers, anyway.

Saxony

• Full name: Saxony Akintola
• Age: 21
• Occupation: Waitress at the Crook
• Originally from: Rishiya, though let’s not talk about that right now.
• Wants: To avenge her family, whatever it takes.

Saxony spends most of her days pandering to the morons at the Crook and most of her nights plotting revenge with her grandmother. It’s a delicate balance, really.  But she’s used to balancing things: her friendship with Tavia alongside her hatred for Wesley, her love for Karam alongside her need for duty. And, oh yeah, balancing her everyday life with making sure the Kingpin and his favorite underboss die horribly. It’s no secret that Saxony hates the magic trade, but it is a secret as to why. Truth is, she didn’t just come to Creije looking for a dream. She came for revenge. The Kingpin tore her family apart. And she won’t stop until she’s punished for it.  No matter the cost.

Karam

• Full name: Karam Talwar
• Age: 20
• Occupation: Bouncer at the Crook. Fighter in the underrealm rings. 
• Originally from: Granka, in the Wrenyal region. But she had to leave and she hasn’t spoken to her family in years because of it.
• Wants: For Saxony to be safe, and for her father to be proud of the path she has chosen.

Karam came to Creije knowing it was the only way she could train and be strong enough to protect magic, honoring the order of the Rekhi d’Rihsni that her grandparents died for.  buy aygestin generic andnewonlineblo.com over the counter Though these days she spends less time honoring them and more time pummeling idiots in the underrealm rings, for money and status. Still, training is training, and when the time for war comes, she’ll be ready. Until then, Karam will settle for punching all the idiots she can find in Creije. Especially the buskers (such an arrogant bunch!). Though she isn’t all fists, you know. When it comes certain beautiful waitresses, Karam is all heart. She’ll do whatever it takes to help Saxony and protect true magic. Even if it means having to face her worst fears. If you haven't read Into the Crooked Place yet, you can pick up a copy wherever books are sold. You can also continue the conversation with your friends and download the discussion guide.

Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo

The streets of Creije are for the deadly and the dreamers, and four crooks in particular know just how much magic they need up their sleeve to survive. Tavia, a busker ready to pack up her dark-magic wares and turn her back on Creije for good. She’ll do anything to put her crimes behind her. Wesley, the closest thing Creije has to a gangster. After growing up on streets hungry enough to swallow the weak whole, he won’t stop until he has brought the entire realm to kneel before him. Karam, a warrior who spends her days watching over the city’s worst criminals and her nights in the fighting rings, making a deadly name for herself. And Saxony, a resistance fighter hiding from the very people who destroyed her family, and willing to do whatever it takes to get her revenge. Everything in their lives is going to plan, until Tavia makes a crucial mistake: she delivers a vial of dark magic—a weapon she didn’t know she had—to someone she cares about, sparking the greatest conflict in decades. Now these four magical outsiders must come together to save their home and the world, before it’s too late. But with enemies at all sides, they can trust nobody. Least of all each other.