For a thousand years, the royal court and temple have ruled with power stolen from the dragons they slaughtered. Kael, an eighteen-year-old mine laborer, discovers a divine dragon crystal, but an overseer's son steals it and frames him. Thrown into an arena for the nobles' amusement, Kael faces an armored drake and awakens the first seal on the ancient dragon god's soul within him. High Priest Malrec recognizes the reincarnation he once imprisoned. With help from dragon-bloodline appraiser Elara, Kael escapes and challenges the kingdom's false history, summoning a golden dragon above the capital.
