Renee Valdez 
The Golden Current [EPUB ebook] 
A Veridium Chronicle

Veridium, a metropolis choked by dust and despair, is a monument to humanity’s greed.  Gleaming towers, fueled by the last drops of fossil fuels, cast long shadows over a parched world, a constant reminder of the Great Drought. In this desolate wasteland, water is the ultimate currency, controlled by the iron fist of Omni Corp. But whispers of hope echo through the dust-filled streets – whispers of the Golden Current, a mythical subterranean river of living light.
Liora Zenn, a driven hydrologist haunted by the memory of her brother’s death during the drought, dedicates her life to uncovering the truth behind these whispers. Her scientific mind dismisses the legends, yet a spark of hope ignites within her.  Kael Thorne, a rebellious street artist whose bioluminescent murals defy Veridium’s monochrome walls, becomes her unlikely ally.  His art, inspired by ancient Aquarian glyphs, isn’t just an act of defiance; it’s a map, a key to the Current’s hidden entrance.
Their paths converge, revealing a shared yearning for a world beyond Omni Corp’s grasp.  Together, they forge the Weavers, a ragtag group of outcasts: Melanie Orr, a historian burdened by her family’s complicity with Omni Corp, seeking redemption; Jason Scott, a guilt-ridden ex-Omni Corp engineer haunted by the faces of the sick and dying; and Elias Vance, a resourceful scavenger navigating Veridium’s treacherous underbelly.
Their descent into Veridium’s labyrinthine depths begins, a perilous journey through the remnants of a lost civilization.  The deeper they venture, the stronger the pulse of Aquarian technology, revealing not only the location of the Golden Current but its true nature: a source of bioluminescent energy capable of transforming the desolate landscape.  But as they draw closer to their goal, Melanie uncovers a darker side to the Aquarian legacy—the Current’s power is volatile, capable of immense destruction.
Meanwhile, Marcus Coffey, Omni Corp’s ruthless enforcer, closes in, determined to secure the Current for his corporate masters.  The Weavers are trapped in a desperate race against time, their quest a high-stakes gamble between hope and annihilation.