After giving her life to rescue an infant, Ella awakens in a brutal realm of dragons as a branded captive. During a deadly choosing ceremony, her sister Vivian is claimed by a golden dragon while Ella is abandoned for execution. Sent to the killing grounds, she encounters Prince Adrian, feared for his frozen heart, and his distressed young son Leo. Gifted with the ability to understand the child's unspoken cries, Ella discovers a cruel injury hidden beneath his wrappings and saves him. As they enter the dangerous Black Forest, Leo grows attached to her, forcing the guarded prince to defy every rule he once obeyed.
