A Reckoning is Coming to Arcanum Hall
Step through the immense, wrought-iron gates and into a world of ancient magic, whispered secrets, and defiant hope. I am thrilled to announce the release of my new ebook, The Reckoning at Arcanum Hall, a tale of courage, friendship, and the price of truth.
A Hall of Hoarded Secrets
Arcanum Hall is a colossal cathedral of learning, all black, weathered stone and menacing gargoyle spires clawing at a bruised, stormy sky. For centuries, it has been a sanctuary for the magically gifted, but it is also a place ruled by iron-clad tradition and a Council that fears what it cannot control.
Into this oppressive world steps Lysandra Vale, a scholarship student with a battered duffel bag, a hidden lineage, and a spirit that refuses to be broken. From the moment she arrives, she feels the weight of the Hall’s assessing eyes and the chilling disdain of the privileged elite. The cab driver’s warning echoes in her mind: “Once you’re properly through those gates, truly inside, there’s no easy coming back. Some say no coming back at all, not as you were”.
The Outsiders' Pact
Lysandra quickly learns that Arcanum Hall is a place of secrets and shadows. Students have vanished without a trace, forbidden knowledge is locked away, and a powerful "wild magic" is suppressed by the fearful Council. She carries her own secrets: a frayed scrap of velvet bearing her family's forbidden sigil and a connection to a magic deemed too dangerous, too untamable.
But she is not alone. Lysandra finds allies in the unlikeliest of places:
Mara Thorne: A bright-eyed, fiercely loyal friend whose cheerful energy is a beacon in the gloom.
Tomas Altier: A shy, nervous boy whose cautious nature and knowledge of protective spells prove invaluable.
Cassian Thorne: A dark-eyed, enigmatic upperclassman with a predatory grace and secrets of his own, who seems to walk the line between ally and adversary.
Together, they form the "Outsiders’ Pact," a secret alliance of marginalized students determined to uncover the truth and challenge the Council's tyrannical rule. Their quest will lead them from the forbidden gardens to ancient, hidden tunnels deep beneath the Hall, where they will unearth a conspiracy that threatens the very foundations of Arcanum.
"Be extraordinarily wary of who notices your particular light, child. And trust no one—absolutely no one—not even, and perhaps especially, those who appear to offer you genuine help. Appearances here are rarely what they seem."
A Rebellion is Brewing
As Lysandra and her friends dig deeper, they discover that her family, the Vales, were erased from history for refusing to let their powerful magic be controlled. They learn of ancient pacts, a looming "Reckoning," and a profound magical imbalance that threatens to tear Arcanum Hall apart. Their defiance incites the wrath of the ruthless Professor Illem, the arrogant prefect Evander Thorne, and the formidable Magister Silaris from the Capital.
The Reckoning at Arcanum Hall is a story that explores:
Forbidden Magic: A world where some powers are feared and suppressed.
Found Family: The powerful bonds forged between outcasts who stand together against oppression.
Rebellion and Justice: The fight to reclaim a stolen history and build a fairer future.
Dark Academia: A mysterious, ancient institution filled with secrets, rivalries, and danger.
"We are the roots this ancient Hall can’t sever—The Outsiders’ Pact, now and forever!"
Will Lysandra and the Outsiders’ Pact succeed in their quest for truth, or will they become the next students to be erased from the pages of Arcanum’s dark history? The final reckoning awaits.
Copyright © 2025 by Calico Tales Publishing LLC
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means—including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods—without the prior written permission of the copyright holder, except as permitted under U.S. copyright law.
