The Dragon King is dead. On the tiny Serpent Isle, alone in the vastness of the ocean, Leona has never had it so good. Blessed with one of the Thirteen Gifts of Theodora, she has been rescued from a life on the streets to become an advisor to Friel Laimos, one of the most powerful men on the Serpent Isle. Friel’s nephew Lahnos Laimos has his own problems to contend with – the horns growing out of his head identify him as a descendant of the Bullan – the most feared and loathed group on the island. Amid the sunshine and palm trees, a solitary ship arrives at the Serpent Isle, bearing news that will destroy the delicate balance of power and turn the lives of Leona and Lahnos upside down. With revolution in the air, Lahnos has a choice to make – fight for a homeland that hates him, or sit back and watch the Serpent Isle burn?

Freedom comes at a price. For the first time in a century, the Serpent Isle is free to chart its own course. With Colonel Friel at the helm, the island prepares to defend itself from the coming onslaught – for, as Leona and Lahnos know only too well, the rival powers of the world will not rest until the Serpent Isle has been reclaimed. With the Gunstian Empire poised to attack from the west, and the Dragon Dominion from the east, the island looks set to fall. Only the mysterious Demon Witch can save them – but the slayer of King Gahad has vanished, and the Serpent Isle stands alone.

The world of Athumia is in turmoil. With the mighty Dominion on the brink of a Civil War, and the Gunstians hungry for vengeance, what chance does the tiny Serpent Isle have against its enemies? The Demon Witch can no longer come to their rescue. In her stead, the people of the island place their trust in another – a young outcast with horns. Long despised for his Part-Bullan heritage, Lahnos is thrust into the role of saviour. Can he rise to the challenge and save the island that once hated him?

Power comes with a price. For Lahnos and Leona, the price is personal. To avoid suspicion, they keep their secrets hidden from the people of the Serpent Isle; but the longer the truth remains unknown, the worse it will be when it is revealed. Recovering after her ordeal, Lyla recovers more of her past. Burdened with uncertainty, she is determined to discover her real identity, no matter who she hurts in the process. On the other side of Athumia, Tell Hoard, the foremost seat of knowledge and learning in the Dragon Dominion, gets on with another day, unaware that the fates are conspiring to bring it into collision with the troubles of the world…

On the southern plains of the Holdings lies the abandoned Palace of the Almighty – the old home of the Second Ascendant. Sealed up and silent, it has been ignored for years. Driven by a desire to discover the fate of his sister, Bailey disregards his orders and breaks into the palace. When the gods and creatures held within begin to escape their confines, only one warrior can stop them – Corthie Holdfast. Enticed to lend his service to the crown, Corthie reluctantly places his duty before his ever-growing family, and picks up the Clawhammer once again. Allied to the Empire, Queen Blackrose’s realm is under threat from rogue Wystian dragons and agents from the fanatical Unk Tannic. When Blackrose calls for aid to defend her borders, the Empress is only too happy to oblige, but little does she know how deeply entangled the Empire will become in the affairs of Dragon Eyre, a world both beautiful and deadly…

The Holdfast Twins – united by their dream mage blood, divided by the Sapphire Throne. Kyra Holdfast is under house arrest, after her failed attempt to remove the Empress from power. Imprisoned by her own mother, her Quadrant taken, Kyra appears helpless. Her twin Cael Holdfast, loyal servant of the Empire, is also imprisoned. Held within a dungeon next to the Tempest Mine, Cael too seems helpless. While both twins languish in captivity, the war between the Sapphire Empire and the Dragon Dominion gathers pace, as each side readies its armies to strike at the other, in a conflict that will envelop all of the Known Worlds. Cael and Kyra – bound by family ties, riven by their beliefs, hold the fate of the worlds in their hands.