Under The Never Sky

Under The Never Sky is the first book in the Under The

Never Sky Trilogy by Veronica Rossi.

Back Cover Description
WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

Plot
Aria lives in the Pods, an underground civilization meant to protect her from the Aether, a mysterious and dangerous storm that has scorched the surface of the Earth. Her whole life revolves around her SmartEye, a device that creates artificial realities called Realms in order to keep Dwellers entertained/controlled. But when Aria and a small group of friends break into a damaged Pod (Ag 6), she finally experiences something real and dangerous: fire. Dwellers had never seen it in real life, only in the realms. Soren, the son of the Consul—head of security in the Pods—becomes increasingly more violent, and attacks Aria and her friend Paisley as they try to escape from the rapidly spreading fire. She records the attack with her Smarteye to prove all that Soren had done. While desperately trying to tear herself away from him, Aria realizes that they're not completely alone as she spots a real live Savage, someone who lives on the Outside, also known as the Death Shop, the land of a million deaths. The Savage wastes no time in putting Soren in his place, and saves Aria from the fire.

The Savage, Perry, hastily returns to his own home, a place called the Tides. Vale, his brother and Blood Lord of the tribe isn't all too pleased to see him again—a result of the frequent fights between them. With his sister Liv gone and parents dead, Perry feels that his only family is Vale's seven-year-old son Talon. In an effort to ease his mind, he takes Talon hunting one day, only to be attacked by a group of Dwellers, who capture Talon and take him back to the Pods. Perry shares the news with Vale, Vale is completely enraged, convinced that going after Talon would be suicide for the Tides. But for Talon, Perry leaves.

Meanwhile, Aria wakes up in the medical ward and is informed that she'll be having a meeting with the Consuls, the directors of all the Pods. There they accuse her of letting a Savage in, but Aria quickly dismisses it. They reluctantly agree and promise to send her to Bliss, the Pod where her mother resides. However, during Aria's travel to Bliss, it becomes clear the Consuls never intended for her to return. They throw her from their Hover, and she finds herself trapped in the Death Shop, left for the Aether to deal with. She desperately searches for any sort of shelter as another Aether storm stikes the area and stumbles upon the very Savage she'd seen in the Pods. Again, he saves her life and gets her to safety.

Perry didn't know why he saved the Dweller—Mole, as he called them. However, when he learns that Aria still has the SmartEye with the recording of Soren on it, they strike a deal to use the video as leverage to get Talon back and return Aria to her home. Before they can do so, they have to travel to a friend of Perry's called Marron, a man who can hopefully get the SmartEye working again. They set off, none too happy with the situation, eager to return to their own lives.

Their journey together forces conversation about their two different lives, and the pair finds themselves growing an unlikely relationship. With Marron's tribe a few days away, Perry and Aria are prepared to camp for the night, when they find Perry's closest friend, Roar, is in the area. Roar reveals that, because his people have been exposed to the Aether, they have heightened senses. Perry, a Scire and Seer, has to ability to see well in the dark and to scent people's tempers or mood. Roar, an Aud, has an incredible sense of hearing. Roar also informs them that a mysterious boy named Cinder has been following him for days. When Perry tries to force the boy to leave, Cinder burns his hand as they all learn that Cinder has the power to control the Aether.

With Perry badly injured and Cinder too weak to walk, Aria feels helpless as the Croven close in—Outsider's who have resorted themselves to cannibalism. They barely make it to the safety of Marron's haven, a place he likes to call Delphi before the Croven can overtake them. As Marron repairs the SmartEye, Roar and Perry focus on teaching Aria how to use a knife. During one of these training sessions, Perry and Aria kiss and explore a more romantic relationship.