Captain Kate has managed to slip the hangman's noose, but it's not all clear sailing from here. Dalgren, a dragon that has saved Kate's life many times over, has returned to his homeland in shame and plans on turning himself in for treason. But Kate won't leave any of her friends to face their fate alone-even if that means going to the most dangerous place in the world, the surface.

However, all is not well in the wider world. Dark forces sow chaos at every turn and Kate's ally, Prince Tom, is caught in the middle. The key to stemming the rising tide of violence lies at the bottom of the world, and it's up to Kate to survive long enough to rescue a would-be prince.