Marked

‘Marked’ is the ninth book in the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka. In this urban fantasy novel, Mage Alex Verus finds himself hanging on by a thread. After securing a position on the Light Council, he realizes that if he wants to protect his friends, he must become a power player himself. His first task is to track down dangerous magical items unleashed into the world by Dark Mages. However, when the Council seeks his help in negotiating with the perpetrators, Alex must use all his cunning and magic to strike a deal and prevent tensions from escalating into a bloodbath between the Council, Dark Mages, and the adept community.