Iris Ecosia's world has ended more than once. The first time, she was too young to remember. Solar flares wiped out electrical grids and whittled her stiff-collared community into a seller of data and rare books. The second time, Iris's beloved Uncle Nate used her as a catalyst to thrust her people into a civil war that ousted their greedy CEO David Kahn, but left their town, Painted Bluff, broken and defenseless.

Iris is not about to let her world end a third time. She's a community leader now, and presses to forge an alliance with the starving but well-armed marauders who stalk Painted Bluff's borders.

But she's not the only one making deals. Robert Lycos, the boy she's loved for as long as she can remember sees another solution: a partnership with a coal company. Iris is horrified when Robert admits to volunteering as hostage to expedite the deal.

When Kahn escapes imprisonment and makes a deal of his own, everything both young people have built topples. Now the race is on to establish strong alliances before their old CEO gathers enough resources to take his town back and bring Iris's world crashing down one last time.