Future of Magic

Arthur is an apothecarist in the witches' district of a city that might have once been London, before the magic came. He also keeps magic bees in the greenhouse on his roof and teaches his trade to his apprentice, Ariadne. His life is settled, his customers are happy, and his heart is finally ready to open itself to more.Jade was a student of sorcery, but although he values the skills he learned there, he doesn't agree with their values up on the hill. He's taken himself, his newly-acquired tattooist's license, and the familiar under his skin, and moved down to the witches' district. He's determined to make this work, and when he needs botanical references for his first client, Arthur's Apothecary across the way is the obvious place to start.While Arthur builds a hive for a new swarm of bees, Jade builds a business and a new life. Together, can they cultivate a love as sweet as honey?m/m Romance, Slow Burn, Nonbinary & Genderqueer characters, Adult Communication, Found Family, Bees, Food, Magic as Science, Science as Magic, Mythological Mishmash, Post-Post Apocalyptic Hopepunk, Solarpunk, Shopping, Nesting, Domesticity, Community Building

In this sequel to To Hive and To Hold, we check back in with Arthur and Jade, meet some new friends, make some new magic, and watch a new romance catch fire.Arthur: witch, apothecarist, tea-maker, and teacher.Jade: sorcerer, tattooist, and Arthur's non-binary lover.Basil Vasan-Everleigh: part fae, part human, and entirely overlooked by his sorcerer family.Rixt: dragon, patron, and a man of exquisite taste.Dragons have a bone to pick with the sorcerers, and both parties require impartial negotiators. Arthur and Jade agree to speak on the dragons' behalf, and Basil's father volunteers him to speak for the sorcerers.Arthur gets new clients for tea, new vendors for magical plants and ingredients, and Basil gets a whole new world that appreciates him for who he is. Rixt gets more than he bargained for, Jade gets to see his former enemies get what they deserve, and our heroes get a whole lot of happily ever after.low stakes, romance, m/m romance, genderqueer character, medium spicy, solarpunk, hopepunk, cozy magic, will make you hungry and crave tea, HEA and extended denouement, slice of life, pov multiple