The Kingdom of Calestra was built on blood. Every spring, when the snow melts in the mountains, one young woman is chosen by lot to be sacrificed to the Great Dragon.

As the Maiden Sacrifice draws near once more, three women stand at the heart of its brutal ritual: Cressyda, desperate and trapped; Alinore, torn between duty and rebellion; and Maylie, whose secrets burn hotter than dragonfire. Together, they carry the power to shatter a treaty written in blood and ash.

Yet freedom comes at a cost, and first they must face the ancient fury of the Great Dragon.

The sacrifice is coming. But this time, the maidens refuse to burn.