A monster hunter who secretly runs a sanctuary for monsters must form an unlikely alliance in this rich and moving novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Keeper of Magical Things.

The life of a monster hunter is simple: Have spear, will travel. Meixin and her hound slay winged and wicked roaming beasts for coin. But Meixin has a few secrets: Her dog is actually a fire-breathing huodou, she rescues half as many monsters as she kills, and she herself is one of the most powerful monsters in the kingdom.

Meixin is the last shapeshifting dragon and has no memory of how the others disappeared. Though she grieves, she finds peace in her island sanctuary full of tame monsters—a peace unexpectedly threatened the day a man nearly dies on her doorstep.

Faran the Green is an upstart sorcerer with dreams of sailing beyond the magical fog that isolates the kingdom. But to earn the rulers’ permission, he must win the Great Hunt by capturing a living dragon. He’s determined to hire the best monster hunter for help, but when his first attempt goes awry, he ends up dragged onto Meixin’s isle.

To save her creatures from discovery and for a chance to find the only kin she may have left, Meixin joins Faran on his search (omitting a few personal details). She knows humans can’t be trusted, even pretty ones who speak gently to flowers, never tell lies, and don’t mind her scars. But when their hunt comes to a head, she must choose a side—man or monster—even if the line between them is as thin as water.