Held captive by the fanatical 8th Battalion, Mason Jerah is convinced he doesn't have long to live... and he isn't alone in his captivity. The Shadows have a plan; one that could mean freedom.

Meanwhile, operative Raven Ivany struggles against the forces aligning against Shades and Shadows - Shifters and Sages - and finds an unlikely companion in Zero, a teenage girl with a mysterious past and desire to prove herself.