Drift & Dagger by Kendall Kulper

Mal loved Essie and never expected her to betray him.  Tempers get out of hand and mean things can be said.  That was what happened the day she told the village he was a "blank".  He had no magic.  And soon he had no home either...

Little Brown Books for Young Readers and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).   It will be published September 8th.

Mal drifts along through life finally finding a friend in Boone, an older boy.  Together they steal magical relics and important charms and potions and sell them.  They work again when they need to.  Mal is content with his lot in life and tells Boone his latest quest is nuts, but Boone talks him into it.  When that one is futile, another bigger quest comes to light.  That one is a bad one, too, but Boone is only looking at the money.

Mal's heart is hard against Essie and Boone tries to manipulate him into stealing her magic.  After he sees her again, he'd like to steal her away from the island she's bound to.  She can't go, so Boone sets things in motion to make what he wants happen.

This is fast slick story with Mal not quite realizing how manipulative Boone can be until it's almost too late.  I enjoyed reading this adventure and I was hoping for a happier ending, but that isn't how it goes it sometimes.  The ending is appropriate.  After all, one shouldn't fall in love with a Roe witch...