Six students at Blackwood Academy, an enigmatic boarding school located at the edge of the afterlife, must compete for the once-in-eternity chance to change their fate--or risk remaining stuck in purgatory forever. An unputdownable debut full of hairpin turns, shock betrayals and world-defying love, for fans of The Atlas Six.

Welcome to Blackwood Academy: the legendary school located on the fringes of the afterlife. Once a pupil enters the academy's arched gates, there is no way out . . . except for the Decennial, a once-in-a-decade celebration in which a single, worthy student is tested and given a choice: Graduate and join Blackwood's magical elite, or cross over to the mysterious Other Side.

This time, though, the rules have changed. This Decennial isn't a celebration--it's a competition. And there can only be one victor.

Two academic archrivals, whose strange connection blurs the lines between obsession and hate.

One girl driven solely by ambition, and another plagued by memories of the love she lost.

And a charming playboy who never cared for anyone--until he met the academy's newest student.

Each of these six students has their own motivation to win . . . and their own secret to hide. But what none of them know? They aren't the only ones playing Blackwood's game. And if they lose. . . some fates are worse than death.