The war is over but our problems have only just begun. The Sarcodinay were humanity’s benevolent masters, galactic guardians who saved us from apocalypse and claimed us as their long-lost children—and like any stern parent, they expected their children to behave. We didn’t. A century of violence and conflict followed as humanity tried to overthrow its rulers, but when the Sarcodinay suddenly and without warning announce their surrender, the rebellion is left scrambling for a way to deal with an outcome no one could have victory. Brash, unorthodox, and brilliant, Lieutenant Mallory MacLain has always been tolerated because of her successes against the enemy, but now faces an uncertain future with a government that no longer has a place for rebels. When Mallory witnesses the assassination of an important Sarcodinay official, she finds herself chasing a murderer that no one seems to want her to stop, and uncovering a truth about the war that could jeopardize the lives of thousands of people…including her own.