Until the Clock Strikes Midnight

Darling is a Guardian, one of the most talented and unusual in her class, and she has a shot at a once-in-a-generation mentorship with the Mortal Outcome Council. The post would let her shape the future happiness of every mortal realm. First she must succeed with her opening assignment, a mortal named Lucy Addlesberg.

Lucy's life is a mess. Her bookshop is failing in a downtrodden village, and her flirtation with the princess of Lumina looks doomed. Darling expected an easy, razzle-dazzle job, but if there is one thing she does well, it is a makeover.

Calamity, called Calam, is a Misfortune: arrogant and gifted, and employed to rescue mortals from the bad decisions they make chasing a Happily Ever After. He is up for the same mentorship, and his test is Lucy too.

Her bad luck has run for years, so he only needs to keep it going until she accepts reality and settles for a safer, more logical path. Then he discovers that she already has a Guardian.

To block each other, Darling and Calam enter Lucy's life posing as a betrothed couple, each steering her toward the future they think is best. Along the way they begin to question their roles and their own wants, and the loathing between them may be turning into something else.