Vashti Hardy

Metals. Magic. Murder. Kit Mercurio has always felt like he doesn't quite fit in. But when a mysterious letter invites him to enrol at the Forgeborn School of Alchemy, he discovers he's part of an ancient secret society of people with magical abilities tied to metals. Their powers have shaped history and legend, from Thor's Hammer to Excalibur. But within this world, Kit's family are Mercuries, a group shunned by the Houses of Gold, Silver, Copper and Iron.
Kit learns that his father, who died under mysterious circumstances many years ago, was a member of Gold. This invitation could be Kit's chance to investigate the truth of what really happened to him. At Forgeborn, Kit is treated as an untrustworthy outsider, and when a high-profile murder occurs, he becomes the prime suspect. Faced with determined bullies, a killer on the loose, and a buried history that could tear everything apart, Kit's greatest challenge may be surviving long enough to reveal the truth...