A TOR AND KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Ahsoka presents a captivating tale that intertwines love, sacrifice, and the quest for autonomy in a vividly imagined interstellar universe.

“E. K. Johnston writes books that are simultaneously gentle and devastating, and I’m not sure how she does it but I’m so glad she does.”—Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of And I Darken

“A book for anyone who’s ever underestimated themself, and who had to find their people to figure out their power.”—Tor

There’s a fine line between survival and cruelty . . .

Pendt Harland’s family has seen her as a waste of food on their long-haul space cruiser ever since her genes revealed an undesirable mutation when she was only a small child. But thirteen years later, her unique genetic makeup might be her chance to do much more than survive—if she plays her cards right.

During a routine stop at a space dock, Pendt risks everything on a one-way escape plan. While on the run, she forms a lucky bond with the teenage heirs of the powerful family that runs the space station, and against long odds, the trio hatches a scheme to take over the station and thwart the destinies they never wished for.