After the country’s borders have receded behind a salt line - a ring of scorched dragon protects its citizens from deadly disease carrying ticks - a group of adrenaline junkies pay a fortune to tour what’s left of nature, no longer held captive by their society’s common fear. Lured outside the Salt Line by promises of skies full of stars and true autumn foliage, the group - a pop star and his girlfriend, Edie ; the tech giant, Wes; and Marta, the wife of a wealthy businessman - find themselves at the mercy of deadly ticks… and at the center of a murderous plot. They become captives in Ruby City, a community made up of outer-zone survivors determined to protect their hardscrabble existence. As hostages outside the zones, Edie, Wes and Marta find that their pasts - and futures - are interwoven in surprising ways, and may be key to their survival. Alliances and friendships shift and change, and they must decide how far they are willing to go to get the the right side of the salt line. #hardcover#suspense#deadly#survival or