The Sapphire Shadow

Nadia loves jewels. Big ones, small ones, red ones, blue ones. But her favorite variety is the illegally acquired. She has more than enough money to buy the best. That’s never been the point. Shoplifting is her hobby, her escape. When her high school friend, Tess, offers to help her break into real burglary, how could she refuse? Tess is a technical genius - she designed and built her own right arm. Surely she can take down any security standing in their way to bigger and better loot.

Outside the city walls, Jackson was raised in the slums. Life as a refugee was never easy, and the only way out was joining the army. Now she’s a cop, finally living inside the old sea walls. She’s supposed to be hunting Cheshire, a reclusive hacktivist stirring up unrest, but the nightly news is full of a smug young woman breaking the law and getting away with it, blowing kisses as she escapes police and private security. Theatrical, daring heists, thrilling to watch. And Jackson hates every minute of it.

Meanwhile, the city they both call home is slowly tearing itself apart around them. Jackson crushes riot after riot, just part of the job. But more and more it feels wrong, hopeless, no point to any of it, no future for any of them.

Nadia has given up on the future. But more and more people see her escapades and realize they can fight back. It doesn’t make sense to Nadia, not at first, but an unlikely romance starts to show her that there could be some hope, even in a broken world.