King Nicolan Beljaars knew the Cardinal meant to overthrow him. For months, the King had stood idly by as his friends and advisors had disappeared in mysterious ways. The King’s eldest daughter Iveline Beljaars is determined to see her siblings rescued and turns to the most unlikely source — a rebel group known as the Unbound. The Unbound rescue the royal children and harbor them while the children begin training and amassing forces to reclaim their throne.
The Cardinal’s first act is to place a ban on magic, forcing any creature to surrender and be tortured until they are no longer able to produce magic. The Cardinal’s Wizard, Sevilius the Blood Artist, learns how to harvest the magic so the Cardinal can use it himself. Sevilius realizes that the only way to do this is through a dragon scale; but the dragons fled long ago because they were being killed at extraordinary rates. There is one possibility, a young boy who was created as half-dragon, half-boy; if only Sevilius can find him.
When the Cardinal’s forces attack a popular trading city, the Unbound led by the royal children, defend the city and win the battle. But the Cardinal and Blood Artist have a secret weapon. After their men are slaughtered, the Blood Artist reanimates the corpses and prepares to send them back to fight the Unbound.
Unlikely groups will have to come together to overthrow the Cardinal. The Unbound, Wizards, Pirates, Farmers, Savages, Centaurs, and Princes and Princesses will join forces in a desperate attempt to reclaim their land.
