My name is Mara, and I want desperately to become a mother. All of my dreams were dashed when the world was promised hope but instead became a place of danger, death...and monsters. Nevermores, human but feral and lethal creatures with a thirst for flesh, have arisen from the ashes of human hope. Now co-inhabitants in this new world, I am gaining ground in my understanding of them just as I am forced to face a new threat from the local militia. Led by a man with a taste for torture and a love of suffering, Sebastian and I are confronted with the seemingly impossible obstacle of escape. Caged and kept from our allies, our opportunities for freedom dwindle. There is only one way to save us both. I am forced to unearth and embrace the dark side of my heart. I must decide who the more dangerous enemy is: the Nevermores or what remains of mankind. I am bound to fight as though I am one of the monsters I hoped I'd never become.