In a world ravaged by climate disaster, Lora braves the terrifying and dangerous work of underwater gold mining in an illegal operation so that her family can afford to eat. But when she finds out the money isn’t reaching them, she organizes a strike in anger. To quell the rebellion, the authorities offer her a place at their clandestine mine downriver. The gold is deeper and the risks higher, but Lora will also have an opportunity to earn a percentage of her yield. Believing this is the only way to return to her family, and with grave concerns about their safety, she accepts.

 

Lora is partnered with the impulsive and reckless Pascale, to whom she is instantly attracted. She convinces Lora to join her in secret night dives to the deepest part of the mine where new ultra-pure gold has just been discovered . Pascale becomes obsessed with the incredible gold, even taking on its physical shimmer, and will stop at nothing to keep diving and collecting it for herself. When another diver dies because of Pascale’s recklessness and she uses her new powers to erase the incident from everyone’s minds, Lora is horrified. She is the only one immune to Pascale’s mind control, but is hopelessly in love and powerless to resist.

 

An earthquake centered at the mine causes widespread destruction, and Lora knows she must seize the opportunity to escape, but how will she bear the heartbreak of leaving Pascale behind? She must walk through the rubble, both literally and figuratively, but in finding her strength, she brings about a situation that enables the Earth to begin healing itself.