The world is changing and Kolina Steelscale must learn how to bend with it, or risk breaking her chance of a stronger future. Kolina Steelscale dedicated her life to her Queen and her people, serving as a guardian of the hidden archipelago populated with female dragon shifters and as a member of the queen’s personal Honor Guard. The king of an enemy tribe is dead and the two female dragon shifters who had been his prisoners are still missing. One of the missing is Kolina’s pregnant daughter, while the other is the queen’s long-lost ambassador. The queen charges Kolina with finding out what happened in the mountain lair of the dead king, and bringing her subjects home safely. Kolina travels to Black River, grudgingly, to seek out Odson Blackridge to tell her where the king’s mountain lair is. While awaiting his return, she spends time with Black River’s bear clan matron, Heidi Brant who instigates a slight detour in Kolina’s mission, which results in a journey she never could have imagined. A journey that opens her eyes and her heart to accept a different way of living. To re-examine her past choices and learn how to heal old heart aches. For herself, and for her people.