"The world now lies divided not amongst political or geographic boundaries but amongst financial ones. Wealth is power, and that power rests with only a handful of families. And now those families are at war. As warring Lazari battle across the theater of Western Europe, Forever Carlyle has been sidelined, recovering from grievous wounds suffered during the Battle of Duluth. Physical trauma can be quickly healed-- it is the damage to her heart that...

While Forever keeps watch on her sister Johanna, she finds hints of rebellion brewing in LA. At the same time, the Barrets, a family of "Waste," lose their home and land, and must pursue their only chance for a better life -- a 500-mile journey to Denver in the hope that one of their family will be noticed by Carlyles and "lifted" to Serf status.