Beth Wild was born as a Subterranean and after almost dying in a fire set by raiders from the skyscrapers, she joins the resistance movement. Now fleeing the Celestial authorities with her team of freedom fighters, Beth is strapped into a SkyBird escape vessel and hurtles to the ground. There, she finds the dissident leader’s SkyBird has also crashed, and LaSierra Delmonte is injured and concussed.

LaSierra is confused. With Beth’s assistance, she struggles to find her bearings and, against her better judgment, grows fond of Beth. But resuming her duties means breaking both their hearts.

Beth loathes the role LaSierra must play. It’s impossible for her to reconcile her ideals and values with the sacrifices LaSierra is asking for. Thrown headlong into the battle for freedom for dissidents and Subterraneans alike, LaSierra may have to risk everything by acknowledging that there are less lethal ways to accomplish what must be done—and if so, will Beth ever understand that there are times when leaders must make the hard decisions for the greater good? Will they be able to bring peace long enough for them to dare to love?