Over a decade ago, the invading Empire finally crushed the resistance in Tamarud, capturing the royal family. They executed all but the youngest two royal children on a day seared into the memories of all people as the Transition.

Under Queen Coral’s control, everything Tamarudian is forbidden, even their own names. Robbed of their heritage, citizens live in a world where an uncontrolled police force kills at will.

The two surviving royals, now adults, struggle to keep their identities hidden as they navigate the world as hostages. They’re kept alive to ensure that the people of the continent don’t rise up again, but the Empire monitors them closely.

Princess Tahirah has always pretended to be obedient, but she has a deadly secret:

She’s created a phoenix egg.

More than a decade after the dragon knights conquered the continent of Tamarud, memories of their brutality and vicious attacks linger. They vanished after the fighting stopped, but stories of their evil still saturate people’s nightmares.

When Jana comes face to face with a dragon, her curiosity gets the better of her. She forms a psychic link with the dragon, not understanding the consequences. Retaliation is swift.

With her life in ruins and her family now dead, determination is the only thing keeping her alive. When the Imperial dragon knights track her and her friends down, she realizes that she needs to take charge to save her people.

In the midst of the turmoil and destruction, she must put aside her hatred to embrace her destiny:

She must become a dragon knight.

Growing up, Ari depended on his parents for help navigating the dangerous world after the Transition. As he matured, he fell in love with Tahirah, the princess of Tamarud, and became her phoenix guardian.

Now, he’s isolated from his parents, their fates unknown. Meanwhile, Tahirah is forced into an engagement with the man who devastated their home. With all of his sources of stability gone, he must think for himself.

Relying on new friends and family he hasn’t seen in years, Ari struggles with missing his parents and his trust in Tahirah. Throughout his journey, he forges alliances with friends and foes as his abilities as a phoenix guardian grow.

Alone for the first time, his increasing fears and budding independence lead him to ask:

Who does he really trust?