Clare and Dorran are still alive against all odds, but the relief they get from being rescued from Helexis Tower is only temporary. Dorran is getting worse after Ezra's experimental treatment, and it is unclear if he will even survive. Clare suspects that his only chance is at an experimental institute in Evandal, which supposedly houses a group of scientists who could read Ezra's repair code to destroy the Thanites.

Above all, though, Clare hopes to save the dying Dorran. The institution is three days away, but Clare isn't sure if it's within their power to reach it at all.

The path is full of pitfalls and dangers, but the biggest one is waiting for them right in their midst…

A terrifying new world has affected everyone around her, and Clare must fight to protect those closest to her. But he is horrified to realize that some are beyond help.