At Wybrany College, there are two kinds of student: the children of the rich and powerful, and the 'Specials' - recipients of a mysterious scholarship. Sealed off from the decaying world outside, the school promises safety, order and, for the Specials, the chance of a different life. But when one of them disappears, the illusion begins to crack. Hidden hierarchies shift. The line between protector and predator blurs. The story unfolds in two parts: first through the lives of students navigating a system built on silence and control; then through the diary of a substitute teacher who uncovers disturbing truths, while hiding a secret of his own.

Sara Mesa is the author of eleven works of fiction, including Scar, An Invisible Fire, Four by Four, Among the Hedges, Bad Handwriting, Un Amor (published by Peirene Press in 2024), The Family (to be published by Peirene Press in 2026) and Oposición. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages, and she has been widely praised for her concise, sharp writing style.