Cipher of the Ancients. Arcanea, #2

Cipher of the AncientsIn Arcanea's spell-choked streets, where shadows whisper and magic seeps from every crack, half-elf detective Elridar Moonwhisper hunts deeper into the city's dark heart. After snatching a cursed amulet from the Magpie's claws, El uncovers its true prize-a ciphered scroll humming with ancient power. With his steely ally Ella, he chases fragments of the Ethereal Apple, an artifact promising cosmic truths or ruinous chaos.
Each piece drags them through Arcanea's fringes-dusty libraries, trap-laden chapels, and brothels thick with underworld lies-hounded by the Magpie's Crows and their relentless blades. As El wrestles the apple's seeds and their eerie pull, the city's pulse quickens, secrets unraveling like a noose tightening. In a realm where knowledge is a weapon and trust a gamble, El's next step could unearth Arcanea's soul-or bury them all.
Gritty noir meets arcane mystery in this urban fantasy detective sequel.