themarionj
Xaden Santiago Torres only ever wanted one thing: to be the best. But in life, and secretly in the gaming world, he is always second-usually trailing the impossibly perfect, ruthlessly popular, and secretly-a-fierce-gamer Déjà Monroe. He hates her, he's mesmerized by her, and he's constantly fighting the urge to expose her secret life.
When a series of increasingly elaborate, scam-like invitations for an exclusive, high-stakes video game tournament-the Arcana Tournament-arrive, Xaden ignores them. Until a mysterious phone is delivered, counting down thirty seconds before it explodes, confirming a chilling truth: The game is real.
Forced to abandon his normal life and his best friend, Xaden is thrust into a terrifying, real-world competition where twelve elite gamers must pair up and play for survival. The ultimate objective: to locate and assemble the legendary Starting 5-a hidden set of cards featuring the world's greatest basketball players. Winning requires skill, strategy, and sheer will.
But the ruthless Game Master has a twisted sense of humor. Xaden is about to discover that his mandated duo partner is none other than his lifelong nemesis, Déjà. Now, the two competitors must set aside their rivalry and trust each other to win the deadly game... and avoid becoming the first players to be taken out of the competition.
A dual-perspective thriller blending high-stakes action, competitive gaming, and the volatile romance of a forced partnership.