Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves: more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more. Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city --- and the paths of their lives --- will be irrevocably transformed.

In a futuristic, war-ridden United States, 15-year-old June is being trained for military success. When her brother is killed, a young criminal named Day is the prime suspect, and June is set on avenging the murder --- until they both discover the shocking truth.