In the Civic, twelve-year-old children are Branded with when they will die—a process created to ensure the country’s limited resources are not wasted. But Tessa never expected to be Branded with sixteen—the lowest Brand in the history of the Civic. Nevertheless, she is helpless to alter her fate, and returns home with an icy shield of shock enveloping her heart. It was only four days later when the first death happened. And it wasn’t the last—far from it. Follow Tessa’s journey in the weeks after her Branding as she is forced or not only accept a world-shattering fate, but is also surrounded by victims of a silent predator… and is left feeling more alone than ever.