She can save her people—or doom the world.

Narissea and her dragon Yimma face an impossible choice. With a map unearthed from a hidden shrine, she is forced to lead Inyene’s heir, Abioye, across the treacherous Plains to claim the Stone Crown—an artifact of unimaginable power. Only the crown’s wearer can command all dragons and claim the High Throne, uniting the fractured kingdoms.

To place such power in Inyene’s hands would be a betrayal of everything Narissea holds dear. Yet refusing the mission would mean certain death for herself and those she fights to protect.

But dangers lurk at every turn. Ruthless mercenaries hunt the crown for a shadowy patron, striking when Narissea’s group is most vulnerable. Amid the chaos, the map is torn in two, leaving her to navigate the perilous Plains and the ghostly Sea of Mists using only the fragmented stories passed down by her village elders.

When suspicion drives Inyene to unleash her mechanical dragons, the sands ignite in a ferocious battle of fire and steel. As trust shatters and choices grow ever darker, Narissea must weigh the fate of the kingdoms against the price of her people’s survival.

The crown’s power could save the world—or destroy it.

This book has since been republished with updates. This audiobook is based on the original edition.