2023 Firebird Award Winner for Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction, & Dystopian A genetically engineered colony on a new world. A baby born different than everyone else. A mother who will do anything to save him. On planet Eamine, twenty-one-year-old Alina must protect her baby when Mandin is born with a remarkable DNA anomaly. The colony's central corporation wants Mandin for an experimental treatment program. Trained by the Expeditionary Academy, Alina knows how to survive Eamine's harsh environment and flees to keep Mandin safe. While Alina tries to uncover the truth, she finds herself relying on Kiean, a gruff pilot who protects her from threats in the midst of her new surroundings. As an upcoming rebellion brews, Alina must discover who she can trust, facing choices about family, life, and love. Despite the risk, Alina is determined to safeguard Mandin from the colony's most powerful institutions.