A kind, compassionate phuzo who was raised by wealthy lux parents who did everything in their power to keep the cruelty of the world out of her life. For her entire adolescence and her earliest adult years, Araceli only met or spoke to people who her parents specifically introduced her to. And, when those people later became people her parents didn't want influencing her, she found herself expected to drop them in an instant, for nothing at all. This is what happened to Luke, one of her closest friends: his parents disowned him for his imperfections and replaced him with a younger, brighter daughter. Nobody knew that Araceli kept in touch with Luke; she couldn't just abandon him.

After Praque fell to Rhecka's hack, her life was turned on its head: with her parents dead, she inherited their wealth and a new, unexpected sort of freedom. And with Luke's parents dead... she also found herself the only person left in the world who could care for his sister, Lisette. When given the choice between sending Lisette to one of Praque's orphanages and giving Lisette a home, the choice was crystal clear.

Luke left the city and doesn't live close enough to easily see, but he and Araceli keep in touch online, as they always have. Araceli is glad he has a life built for him where he is now, no matter the challenge it took to get there. His support inspires her to embrace her life and everything in it: it is her life to live.