Reliquary by Kris Brooker
A theocratic Commission rules. Patron rules absolute. The people believe they are protected by Saints, and that their city alone survived Armageddon.
When a Duma crime-boss tasks Scout to track down a stolen Relic, what he omits to mention is the Commission want it too, and they’ll kill anyone who stands in their way.
Find the thief, find the relic. Find a heretic, Kat, who’s as dangerous as she is beautiful. Scout puts them both in the crosshairs of a state sanctioned assassin. Their survival now depends on finding the relic.
It’s an uneasy alliance, through a black market in forbidden history into an underworld of religious sects, to find they’ve stumbled upon an ancient prophecy, and into a heretical coup.
All sides desire the relic. Understanding it’s purpose will reshape the future of Mankind.
I only read this because the cover looked cool. Glad I did now. Quite long, but doesn’t disappoint. Good ending