The Cavern (The Cavern Series Book 1)

Description

Cavern citizens have been engineered to thrive underground—taking advantage of optical bioluminescence and other traits to heal faster. They require genetic perfection and send anyone, infants included, “down the River” to their deaths to remove any perceived stains on Cavern society. Mera’s eyes lack their required glow—a notable defect—and her life is spared solely due to her parents’ influence. Now, she must prove herself by earning a spot in the Cavern’s elite military branch—the Service.

During Mera’s Deciding Duels, she suffers a blow to the head that unleashes a hidden ability. When her adrenaline rises, Mera sees the electric synapses that control a person’s every move. With this newfound ability, she battles her way to the Final Melee where she faces four others, including Jonas—a mysterious young man from the Tunnels. During the Melee, Jonas accidentally kills another combatant, saving Mera and winning them positions in the Service. As Mera faces deadly rivals in the Service, she discovers Jonas’s ties to dangerous Cavern secrets and her own family’s part in a growing rebellion. Mera must decide which path to take: trust that Cavern life is perfect the way it is; or follow Jonas through the Cavern’s dark history and uncover her connection to the mysterious Surface above.