Pale and Crimson
Page 3
NIKO
One can live for several weeks without food but only a few days without water, a fact seventeen year old Niko is only too aware of as she struggles to provide for her two younger brothers in a post apocalyptic landscape where the rain burns like acid, food grows increasingly scarce and any Slither that crosses her path is laid low before it can sink its teeth into her.
Then one night everything she'd ever worked for and loved is consumed by a raging fire, leaving her with one brother missing, the other dead and herself gravely injured.
She's rescued by the Rose Circle, a rogue group of Slither hunters. They sneak her into Amaryllis City, a decadent metropolis where those able to pay the exorbitant entrance fee live a life of relative ease.
But for Niko, Amaryllis City is not the haven she grew up believing it would be and her unique abilities as a Slither hunter make her a particularly visible target to a city with hopes of experimentation, replication and other nasty bits.
All Niko ever wanted to do was find her baby brother, but that's proving to be harder than expected.
HARM
After a harrowing escape from Amaryllis City, Niko is forced to lay low. The people who want to use her unique genetics for their own ends are still out there and their reach is long.
After an emotional split with Ben and hiding deep in the slums she soon meets Songhay, a charismatic thief and his younger sister, Roosevelt. Together, they dodge violent gangs, roaming Slithers and the ever present threat of acid rain. Growing closer, Niko, along with Songhay soon form a rag-tag band of Slither hunters to keep the slums safe and the monsters at bay.
But then she discovers shocking information about her past that challenges everything she thought to be true about herself and those she loves.
Now she has to decide if she's going to stay safe in hiding or stand up to the lies and injustice swarming around her.
She was never one to lie low for long.
Lies and truth collide in the second book of the Outsider Chronicles.
OUTSIDER
Surrounded by hunger and degradation, the city of Cherai is a sparkling, opulent metropolis, a dazzling centerpiece in humanity's fight against Slithers and acid rain. And at its heart, keeping everything shining and bright, are the Grey-Men, an oppressed workforce, drugged into submission.
But not for long.
Upon escaping her fate as a Grey-man, Niko is determined to free the whole lot, liberating all from their bondage. Together with Ben, Songhay and the Gemini Gang, they plan to take control of the city. To do that they must control the one thing no one can live without.
Water.
It only takes four days to die of thirst.
MONSTER
In a world full of flesh eating creatures, sometimes humans are the more terrifying monsters.
It's been three months since revolution swept through the city of Cherai and ousted Councilwoman King. Banished, the city now has a chance to recover from decades of injustice and oppression. With the help of Ben, Songhay, and the Gemini Gang, Niko works towards building a more egalitarian society.
But someone is murdering Slither hunters.
And coupled with the councilwoman's reappearance, all of Niko’s hard work balances on a precarious precipice - one wrong move and it will all be for naught.
As the number of bodies rise and tensions within the city increase, Niko is soon forced to make a difficult decision. And it could change everything.
About the Author
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Kayti Nika Raet moved down South when she was 11, where she was bitten by the writing bug, as well as other, less friendly insects.
She is the author of the Outsider Chronicles, a five book series starting with NIKO and set in a world where the rain burns like acid and flesh eating monsters roam.
She's also a reviewer for Readers' Favorite and has her own Youtube Channel: Kayti Edition.
When she is not hard at work on her fifth book she has fun reading, listening to k-pop, and photography.
Kayti lives in Milledgeville, Georgia. Visit her online on Twitter, Goodreads, on Facebook, or email her at KNRwrites(at)gmail(dot)com.