In a Dystopian world where lakerise has splintered society into the wealthy and the waterlogged, Jilly’s luck has elevated her family from lowliest gleaner to new money. But she’s not satisfied with her own good fortune. She wants to break the DeNicola Family’s corrupt control over the city, and tagging is her weapon of choice.
Nathan is a DeNicola, and he’s on the market. Jilly’s scheming sister Harper has her sights set on his fortune, and marriage will do quite nicely. Too bad he only has eyes for Jilly.
Accepting his courtship could be the best or the worst thing she’s ever done.
Harper would have it be the worst.
Wrongfully blamed for her sister’s ‘accident’ and banished to a wretched Maiden’s Home, Jilly struggles to regain her family’s good graces and instead uncovers a darker side to her family’s fortune than she ever would have suspected.
Harper isn’t satisfied with casting her aside though, and Jilly flees her machinations, finding an untrustworthy ally in the poverty stricken wetlands.
There she faces a choice: should she cleave to the blood ties that have betrayed her or should she reveal her family’s corruption to the entire city? Should she accept Nathan’s hand out of necessity when his girlfriend is far more appealing?
And will her budding relationships survive admitting that she is Ruse, the political tagger most vehemently against all he holds dear?