Fifteen-year-old Rose Elmsworth is alone. Her father, David, has been imprisoned, and a death sentence is almost certain. She has been rejected by the Department, the amoral law-enforcement agency she was groomed for since birth, and lives in fear of the terrible secret that, if exposed, will destroy her. Around Rose, the world is changing. The laws that have for years maintained peace between those with magic and those without are breaking down, and two rival militias are preparing to fight a war that seems imminent and promises to be devastating. As darker elements of her father's past emerge, Rose realizes that the rules of good and evil — rules she's always believed wholeheartedly — will not protect her anymore. In a world of monsters, how long can trust, loyalty, and justice survive? And how much will Rose herself have to change to stay alive? Teen author Helena Coggan weaves a story of power, family, and magic in the thrilling sequel to her first novel.

Eighteen years ago, a dimensional break ripped open the sky, drawing humans into an ancient conflict. Otherworldly souls rained down and fused with those of people, dividing the population into the green-eyed, magical Gifted and the dark-eyed, nonmagical Ashkind. A devastating war followed, and the Gifted have managed a fragile peace ever since, largely through a brutal law enforcement organization known as the Department. Fifteen-year-old Rose's father, David, has a leading role in the Department. Rose and David are Gifted, but they are also something else — something terrible. Their lives depend on keeping it secret. But when a mysterious murder threatens to tear Rose's world apart, forcing long-buried secrets into the open, her loyalties are put to the test. How much does Rose really know about her father's past? How far is the Department willing to go to maintain order? And, when the time comes, who will Rose choose to protect?