C-235 lives in a world plagued by war between humans and sentient AI. C is an Angel, a person raised and harvested for body parts. He's allowed to live until 18, and then his body is used to support the Dragons—genetically-superior soldiers—injured in the war. But C possesses a forbidden skill the other Angels don’t have: C knows how to read. When Ethan, a Dragon-in-training, notices C covertly reading over his shoulder, the two strike up a friendship, and he begins secretly lending C books. However, after learning that C is scheduled to donate his heart to a prominent Dragon soldier, Ethan decides to find a way to help his friend. If C can learn to read and intercept AI data, he could be spared. But can C prove his worth before it's too late?