Liam Russo and the Pestilence Codex (Empowering the Plainfolk)

What if magic is real-and could be awakened by anyone willing to earn it? Eighteen-year-old Liam Russo has always planned to become a doctor, healing one patient at a time. When a mysterious surgeon offers him a place at Dawnspire Academy, a hidden school nestled in the jagged Rocky Mountains of Banff, Liam's path changes forever. The key is the Infantilis-a groundbreaking ring that sparks magic in ordinary people. At Dawnspire, plainfolk students like Liam train alongside legacy mages. Here they learn to awaken their magical spark through earthly passions and personal purpose. For Liam, it's a chance to save his dying grandfather and heal on a scale no ordinary physician could dream of. But power always comes with questions: Who should wield it? And how much is safe for one person to hold? Inside the academy walls, Liam finds sanctuary in a tender romance, forms a fierce found family, and stumbles into the crosshairs of a rebellion among elitist legacy mageborne students. Meanwhile, an ancient pestilence deity awakens outside the school-threatening a sweeping epidemic that neither magic nor medicine can stop. This cozy-yet-tender fantasy academia debut blends healing magic and found family with the heavy cost of power. Perfect for readers who enjoy magical academies, healing magic, found family, and character-driven fantasy romance.