The Soul Vault

by Brinda Phokeerdass

In a utopia where death has been conquered and digital immortality is a birthright, Agent Kaelen of the Breeder Security Directorate is the perfect instrument of order. His world is one of pristine logic and controlled existence, until he is summoned to the sanctum of a revered Breeder Queen and finds the impossible: a murder. Her biological body is perfect, alive, but her consciousness has been utterly erased—a feat that defies the foundational laws of their society.

Branded a rogue for pursuing the truth, Kaelen is forced into an uneasy alliance with Elara, a cynical data-scavenger from the Citadel' grimy underbelly who is haunted by the ghost of a murdered historian. Together, they uncover a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power: their perfect world is dying from within, and the ruling elite would rather sterilize a population and silence dissent than face the truth. To prevent a silent genocide, this rogue agent and radical rebel must break into the most secure facility ever built—a digital prison for minds called The Aviary—and do the one thing that is truly forbidden: set the truth free.