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Before Eryth. Before the Box. Before the queens who fed on sacrifice and sorrow—
There was a fae girl named Blue.
And the mortal who loved her.

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In the mountain town of Hemridge, North Carolina, fae and mortal once lived side by side. That was before the sickness, before the deaths—before grief turned to blame, and the fae were hunted, imprisoned, and killed.

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Now, the few who remain live behind fences in work camps and reeducation facilities.
Except for one.

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Raised in the wilds of Hemridge by a woman who once loved a faerie, Blue has lived freely for as long as she can remember—barefoot, fearless, whispering to birds and juggling stones with her mind. Magic is part of her, just like the mountains.
But when she’s forced to move down into the village, everything changes. She’s told to keep her ears covered. Hide what she is. Pretend.

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And then there’s Evie.
Awkward, observant, soft-spoken Evie—who stares too long and asks the wrong questions.
Evie doesn’t get Blue at all, and yet, infuriatingly, she keeps trying.

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What begins as animosity becomes friendship. And then, slowly, something more.
But in a place where fear still rules and loyalty can be bartered, even love isn’t safe.

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When Blue’s true identity is exposed, a choice must be made:
Stay and be caged.
Run and be hunted.
Or cross a bridge no one’s ever seen—into a world no one believes in.

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