Namuh

Life is comfortable when your father is a circle elder, as Dara understood well. The remainder of the population knew only hard work and toil, but Dara was born into privilege.

Her father, Detsaw, and the other six elders are responsible for the protection of their people through laws enforced by soldiers, watchers, and attendants.

But there are other, more serious threats to the circle than rule breaking. The deadly luza plague must be controlled by means of euthanasia-for the greater good. Deserters who escape with their plague-infected children pose a danger to all those who remain within the circle. Add to that the constant threat of the monstrous Namuh, with their history of bloodshed, and it's no wonder the elders are so strict.

But after enduring a terrifying reptile attack while on a dig, Dara comes to a sickening realization about the life she has been living. Her world is turned upside down, and she must answer one important question: Should she unveil the disturbing truth or leave everyone she knows at the hands of monsters?