Ruth struggles to survive the rustic Colonies, and she must adjust to living with family she barely knows. However, her mother's sickness and her brother's protectiveness cannot deter the feelings she is forming for a retired fighter with a Ka'to Indian heritage and an abusive past. As Ruth begins to expose the World Government's control tactics to divide the world into two factions, she finds her place as a simple seamstress with little understanding of rural life. While Ruth overcomes loss and learns to love, God begins to unite a dynamic group of Efficientists and Colonials, setting the stage for a sweeping resistance that no one can comprehend.