For fifty years, the Key Corporation has defended humanity against a deadly virus that spreads through touch. Lovers donโt kiss, or even hold hands. Personal boundaries are valued above all. Break the laws, and youโll face execution.
Elodie, a talented young nurse, believes in the mission of the Key and has never questioned the laws that control her life. But Elodie is forced to break the rules when she sets out in search of a terminal patient who goes missing while under her care.
From the outside, it seems like Aiden was given everything he could want from the Keyโa purpose, an education, and a future. But Aiden knows more than heโs letting on, and the dark secrets heโs keeping could tear the Keyโs strict society apart.
When Elodie and Aidenโs lives collide, the fallout will be devastating. What do you do when the brutal system that once kept you safe hunts you down?
Run.
Kristin Cast is a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author who was born in Japan and grew up in Oklahoma where she explored everything from tattoo modeling to broadcast journalism. After battling addiction, Kristin made her way to the Pacific Northwest and landed in Portland. She rediscovered her passion for storytelling in the stacks at dusty bookstores and in rickety chairs in old coffeehouses. For as long as Kristin can remember, sheโs been telling stories. Thankfully, sheโs been writing them down since 2005.