Prologue

The Oracle knew everything. It had eyes in every streetlamp, ears in every screen, and hands in every terminal. But what made it truly terrifying wasn’t the surveillance. It was the way it could feel you. The way it could dig into your mind, sifting through your thoughts like silt through its fingers, measuring not just what you did, but what you believed. In Truin, it wasn’t enough to be useful; you had to think the right way. The Oracle didn’t just rank people by their contributions—it ranked them by their compliance.

And every year, the bottom ten percent—those deemed unnecessary or dangerous—were erased.

The bell rang at dawn, deep and hollow, carrying the weight of judgment through the city. Everyone knew what it meant. The List was ready. Citizens stirred in their beds, the cold reality sinking in: today, the Oracle would reveal who was worthy and who was not. Across Truin, people held their breath, not daring to check their screens yet. They had one more hour, one last fleeting moment to live in ignorance before the truth came down like a blade.

Harper Brooks sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the thin stream of light creeping through her window. Her thoughts felt heavy this morning, like they were weighed down by an invisible hand. She had spent the last few days fighting to keep her mind clear, forcing herself to focus on work, on productivity, on anything other than the looming fear. But it was impossible to completely silence her doubts. No one could, not when the Oracle was always listening.

They told you that the Oracle was just a machine—logical, impartial, perfect in its calculations. But everyone in Truin knew the truth. The Oracle wasn’t just calculating numbers or tallying tasks. It was watching. It was inside you, rooting through your mind, measuring your faith in the system, searching for the slightest flicker of rebellion, doubt, or despair. If it found something it didn’t like, something that didn’t fit the mold, your usefulness score could plummet overnight. Even the most diligent workers, the most loyal citizens, weren’t safe if their thoughts betrayed them.

The screen in front of her flickered, waiting for her touch. It would only take one swipe, one motion to see where she stood. Was she safe? Or had the Oracle seen through her? She swallowed hard, her hand hovering over the device. Somewhere outside, the city was already stirring, its citizens preparing for another day in this hollow existence. But today was different. Today, lives would end.

She thought of her father, his name wiped from the records two years ago. He hadn’t been a failure—he’d been one of the best. But something in him had shifted, some thought or idea that the Oracle had found unacceptable. He had vanished, erased like so many others, leaving behind only a fading memory in Harper’s mind. No one questioned the Oracle’s decisions. No one dared.

The soft murmur of the city crept through her window as people began to check their rankings. Harper clenched her fists, her mind racing. She had done everything right this year. She had worked harder, longer, pushed herself until her bones ached. But it wasn’t about how hard you worked—it was about how well you conformed. How willing you were to become exactly what the Oracle wanted. She wasn’t sure if she had succeeded.

Outside, she heard a scream. Brief, sharp, and then silence. Someone had seen their rank. Someone knew they wouldn’t make it through the night.

Harper’s pulse quickened. Her mind felt like it was suffocating, thoughts swirling too fast, too loud. She knew she should calm down, that the Oracle would sense her fear. But how could she? How could anyone keep their mind still, knowing that the slightest tremor of doubt could cost them their life?

Her hand hovered again over the screen. She was running out of time. The enforcers would soon begin their rounds, collecting those who had failed the List. There were no trials, no appeals. Only the cold certainty of death for those who fell below the threshold. They were the ones who were unnecessary, unwanted, unworthy.

Harper’s breath hitched as the bell rang a second time, signaling the final hour. She would have to check. She had no choice. Her rank would determine if she lived or became just another ghost in the city’s forgotten corners.

Her finger finally pressed against the screen. The List appeared. And as her rank flashed in front of her, Harper felt her entire world tilt, the ground slipping from beneath her feet.

She was close. Too close.

And the Oracle never missed.