First published 2026
Khalani Kanes thought she would die in Braderhelm Prison. Instead, she breaks free to discover the surface world above ground. The authorities claimed this place could not support life. They lied. Khalani leads her band of escaped convicts across the Death-Zone toward Hermes, the closest underground settlement. Fierce storms batter their path. Ancient ruins hide new dangers. Takeshi Steele grows more distant and ruthless by the day. Strange evidence suggests other survivors roam this barren landscape. Khalani survived the brutality of Braderhelm by becoming harder than her captors. She will need every lesson the prison taught her. Hermes promises safety but delivers another trap. The city runs on corruption and violence. Worse yet, Khalani finds herself stuck with the one person who drives her to fury. This time escape seems impossible. Death may come before freedom.
Genres: dystopia, adventure, action, post-apocalyptic
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Braderhelm Prison, Hermes, Death-Zone
400 pages · Hardcover · Bloom Books
Content warnings: violence