A hunger games style thriller - 16 year old Hazel Thacker is chosen from region four of 6 to show up for testing along with other women ages 16 and older. She tries her best not to pass the Survival skills, combat skills, and intelligence tests. But after the women finish, Hazel is announced the winner and the female from region four that will compete in the yearly competition between the 6 regions to see which would qualify for a future citizen of the citadel.
Hazel's best friend Sage is chosen as the male competitor. After both surviving the first two divisions of the competition, Sage is shot by a poisoned arrow in the combat division and killed. There was no romance in their relationship, but Hazel is devestated.
Hazel and two other competitors are the final three that make it to the Citadel.
There Hazel finds out truths and lies that she has been told or that have been hidden from her her whole life. And every other life in the regions. She is determined to find the truths and answers to her questions and the lies she was fed, and keep sacred the memory of Sage.
When the son of ruler Corbin Grey, challenges her opinion, she finds herself in a sticky situation of who to trust, who is the enemy, and most importantly, can she learn to love again?
