Avery Rendon is weeks away from realizing her dream as a Commonwealth fighter pilot when planetary politics destroy her fledgling career before it begins. Grudgingly, she returns to her home planet of Asria, still hoping to break free of her royal family and the life of tedious policymaking they've planned for her. But Asria is still Asria, and after her almost-fiancé walks out on her, she's not sure things can get much worse.

She's wrong. When the Haederan Empire invades Asria, intent on rebuilding their interstellar domain, Avery becomes a target. She also becomes something else-a reluctant and naïve Commonwealth intelligence operative. It's not long before she stumbles upon information that could change the course of the war, and suddenly she's on the run, pursued by the Haederan secret police and desperate to deliver critical information to the Commonwealth before it's too late.

Swept up in something more dangerous than politics or flying, Avery begins to wonder if her destiny lies somewhere closer to home. If the shocking information she's discovered will have galaxy-wide consequences. And if she'll live to see the end of it all.