Summary

The novel opens with a map of Pyrrhia, a formal welcome to the Jade Mountain Academy, and a brief overview of the seven dragon tribes that inhabit Pyrrhia – MudWings, RainWings, SeaWings, SandWings, SkyWings, IceWings, and NightWings. The next page is the Jade Mountain Prophecy. The prophecy, issued by a NightWing named Moon, predicts the fall of Jade Mountain “Unless the lost city of night can be found” (19).

The Prologue is set about 21 years before the other events of this novel. A SandWing dragon named Palm was running across the desert in search of her sister, Prickle. Palm pleaded for help. She fell in love with Prince Smolder, the son of Queen Oasis of the SandWings. They planned to elope, but Oasis was careful about any potential threat to her throne. Palm found herself running for her life. Prickle agreed to let Palm rest for...