The Reach Between Worlds (The Arclight Saga, Book 1)

Sixteen-year-old Taro lost his right leg years ago, but with a family to support, he doesn’t let it slow him down. For years he’s worked for a notorious crime lord named Victor Mathan. Mathan deals in stolen magical artifacts and trusts Taro to finish his work with as few questions as possible. When an absurdly well-paying job comes up, Taro is quick to volunteer. Mathan wants him to break a powerful sorceress out of jail, but her prison is under the control of an ancient military order called the Magisterium. To get to her, Taro must pose as a Magisterium recruit. The courses are grueling, the trials drive students mad, and the magic they teach can be as deadly to the caster as it is to the target. When the time comes to free the sorceress and collect his pay, Taro is horrified to find that her freedom will lead to the deaths of his friends and thousands of others. However, Mathan makes it clear that not living up to their agreement is a death sentence for Taro’s family.