Academia was supposed to be safe. Boring, even. Then Kas got conned into a robot death match.
Sent on a research mission to the ruins of old Earth, junior scholar Kas expected to catalog tech relics—not gamble her university’s funding on a hulking mech in a gladiator arena. But when a charming scammer ropes her into high-stakes battle-bot wagers, Kas is pulled deep into a world of rusted metal, underground politics, and planet-sized egos.
Now she’s got one shot to survive the fight, salvage her reputation, and maybe learn a thing or two about trust along the way.
Giant mechs. Rogue scholars. Academic drama with a steel-plated punch. When did higher education start including hazard pay?
