Masked Gods - Book 1 of Masked Gods

'I am the one who lives in your dreams, the one who travels the ways of your heart, the one who rests in the lap of your thoughts, the one who rides the waves of your anger. I am your weapon in the arena; I am your counter weight in the Balance; I am your alter ego, I am Shadow.' In a world where each individual is balanced by an alter ego in the Great Balance, the Genetically Engineered are isolated under the Barrier by the Overseers and have no alter egos, creating the threat of an Imbalance that could destroy their world. When William Hunter, the Prime Red Overseer, gives his alter ego Shadow free will for political gain, Shadow takes a second master, Flash. Shadow destroys the Barrier, freeing the Engineered bringing the Overseers' reign to a chaotic end and starting a racial conflict between the Naturals and Engineered. Determined to re-erect the Barrier and restore order, Hunter finds himself opposing his wife, the Prime Yellow Overseer who protects the Prime Black Overseer, the Balance's High Priest. As a war rages between the Overseers, Hunter searches for Shadow's second master. Flash meets Black Adder, the Master Assassin. His kindness triggers the rediscovery of the Assassin's Humanity and Black Adder discovers the identity of Shadow's other master. Hunter forces Black Adder to choose between the woman he loves and his friend. Black Adder chooses but the result not even an Overseer could have predicted...