But news has spread that the Marad--a group of unbalanced Risers determined to overturn harmony in the Galaxy--could strike any House at any moment.

Then, unwelcome nightmare that he is, Ochus appears to Rho, bearing a cryptic message that leaves her with no choice but to fight.

Now Rho must embark on a high-stakes journey through an all-new set of Houses, where she discovers that there's much more to her Galaxy--and to herself--than she could have ever imagined.

And just when Rho has started to come to terms with the pain of losing Mathias, the stars deliver their most shocking surprise yet.