Kenna Riley is Aldierian, but no one but her adoptive father knows and no one else can. All she wants is to escape poverty in her village. All that changes when her identity is outed, she's branded a terrorist, and is sentenced to death in the arena.

Kieran Grace wants to leave the capital of Gallaterra and get as far away from his father as he can. After speaking out against the war with the Aldierans one too many times, he's ordered to live up to his family's legacy by killing an Aldierian in the arena.

Together they do something no one else has, escape the arena and learn a Gallaterran secret along the way. In their search for help from the Aldierians, they find adventure and opportunity that they never thought they'd be allowed. It makes their mission even more dangerous. Despite fighting together, they both must decide what is worth sacrificing alone.