Nora is an Unfortunate-born without any powers and born to serve Gifteds: other humans with extraordinary abilities. When a prominent Gifted figure offers Nora the opportunity to attend Galdor Academy, Nora weighs her options: forever remain the property of a Gifted household or experience a semblance of agency at an elite military school for Gifted children. She remembers her unbreakable promise and accepts.

At first, Nora just wants to make her sponsor proud rather than be sent away in a body bag. But once the Anti-Gifted Movement starts an impossible-to-ignore revolution alongside a mysterious terrorist with an unmatched Divine-like power, the Kingdom of Iridion is forever broken wide open.

While Nora hopes she can prove that Unfortunates deserve equity, the AGM are done begging; they intend to bring every last Gifted low who sought to lord over them. Caught in the crossfire, Nora must make a decision-fight back or let the kingdom splinter to ruin.