No one believes she deserves to be a rider. Except for him. But he may be her greatest threat of all.

Zaydah has dreamed her whole life of becoming a rider of the creatures in the sky. In a kingdom always at war, there’s no greater honor than joining their ranks. She and her best friend, Brev, have trained every day for the last ten years to earn their place and follow in their fathers’ footsteps.

In the Black Mountains, where the military sprawls over its hilltop base, not everyone remembers their fathers as heroes. The king has forbidden their last names to be spoken aloud. Enemies won’t forget the wrongs of decades past.

Zaydah and Brev vow to watch each other’s backs and do whatever they can to succeed. They’ve always been an unstoppable team, and neither of them can trust anyone.

But secrets thrive in the Black Mountains. Nothing can prepare Zaydah for what she’ll uncover, and everything could tear her and Brev apart, most of all, the prince and his unusual interest in Zaydah.