In a world long since stripped of magic, the only thing Ivara has ever wanted for herself is a way out. After twenty-four years in the shadow of her brother's destructive battle with addiction, Ivara's path to freedom is paved with university healing courses and all-nighters.
When her obsessive need to achieve her goal backfires and her grades plummet, Ivara seizes the opportunity to volunteer for the university's up-and-coming soldiers, earning critical extra credit.
This, unfortunately, puts her in proximity to the university's maverick, Ezekiel Insula. Reports of his extensive substance abuse overshadow any persisting attraction Ivara holds for the soldier.
She's loved an addict before. She won't do it again.
When she needs a test subject for a project, recruiting Ezekiel becomes the perfect guise to overcome her infuriating curiosity. But veering from her meticulously planned course could jeopardize the freedom she's so close to claiming.
Or it could bring her closer to a fate she never expected.
