Riff is a disgraced, low-class thief. All of his hopes hinge on Ascension, so he can rejoin the elite, upper-class thieves guild he belonged to as a youth. When he's offered a rare, lucrative job to steal an artifact and prove himself to the guild, there's no question he'll take it. But as his crewmates grow skittish, and one of his usuals refuses to join the operation, Riff wonders what they know that he doesn't.

As his crew prepares, they face sabotage and betrayal. The only way out is forward, because the artifact is their sole bargaining chip for their lives. Riff must discover how far he's willing to go to improve his station and confront his ambitions. This job has the potential to fulfill all his dreams... or end his career.