On the day martial law is announced and put into effect, the whole city of Nova Aria is on fire. Lou is stuck on her way home from work. She calls Robert, her distant ex-boyfriend for help, right before a bus crashes into her car. Little does Lou know, the accident is just the beginning of a long and dangerous journey to safety. From being stranded, abducted, and held at gunpoint to running for her life from a battleship, Lou has never been in a situation where she is pushed to the limit 24/7 both physically and mentally. The more answers she has, the more unclear things seem. Everything Lou has ever known can evaporate in an instance when General Castillon, the Federation leader, decides to use Z, a dangerous chemical element that Robert's team developed, in the war against his political opponents. Lou is forced to work with Robert, even when she doesn't know his plan or fully trust the man. Their past relationship and unresolved feelings toward each other only muddle the situation even more. 🏵ONC 2022 LONGLIST @OpenNovellaContest 🏵Honorable Mention for The Best First Chapter in The Patronus Mini Award 2022 🥈Second place in the Action/Adventure category of the Wonder Awards @Mariya_Evans 🥈Second place in the Action/Adventure category of the April Award @romance_lover16 🥉Third place in the Action/Adventure category of the Okami Award @KirukkanGuild 🥉Third place in the Action category of the Blossom Awards 2024 || COMPLETE @TheBlossomCommunity_ 🥉Gold Award and Third Place of the Action/ Adventure Category of the 🌺🔥Phoenix Awards🔥🌺 @AthenaPersephone9 📚 Featured in The April Award Winners reading list Prompt 3: "They have just announced Martial Law. Anarchy breaks out everywhere around you. The only way out is through. What will you do to survive?" Cover by @sulkytae

Alice is a servant to Lord Thornby. She has always ignored the stories about the war in the papers. Germany is miles away, just because the British have joined the fight doesn't mean she has to. She chooses not to get involved...until Alexander shows up at Thornby Manor needing her help. Alexander has deserted the army and wishes to be set free from all of it. He wants to find his mother and his sister. But he has no money. He'll need all the help he can get, but will Alice be willing to help him?