The End of the Beginning

Deep beneath the ruins of a shattered Earth lies the Subterranean, humanity's last refuge. A cold, suffocating labyrinth of steel and stone, where survival is the only law and the surface-the Upside-exists only as a distant nightmare. The stories are clear: nothing awaits above but death. Generations have endured this grim reality, clinging to existence while hope decays in the shadows.
Esmeray has always yearned for something more. Her restless dreams push her beyond the Subterraneans rigid walls and suffocating rules, leaving her desperate for even the smallest taste of freedom. When she is chosen to join the Scouts, an elite team sent to brave the dangerous surface in search of resources, she sees her chance to escape the stifling monotony of her world. But the surface is not the desolate wasteland she was taught to fear. It is something else entirely-a place of secrets and lies, waiting to shatter the fragile foundation of everything she thought she knew.
Among her fellow Scouts is Azrael, her sharp-eyed commander who both infuriates and intrigues her. He's cold, calculating, and far too comfortable keeping everyone at arm's length. At first, he's just another obstacle in a world full of dangers, but as they're forced to rely on one another, Esmeray begins to see cracks in his carefully guarded walls. Yet, trust is a dangerous thing in a world built on betrayal, and as their fragile bond deepens, so does the weight of his secrets.
As Esmeray ventures deeper into the unknown, the lines between ally and enemy blur. The truths she uncovers will force her to question everything-her home, her people, and her growing feelings for someone who may just destroy her. Some paths are destined to end in ruin, and not all stories are written in light.
Because survival isn't always enough.