A dragon's kingdom. A star-crossed love. And a cursed pearl with the power to mend the world, or break it . . .

Shiori's quest continues in the soaring sequel to the New York Times bestselling young adult fantasy Six Crimson Cranes.

Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon's pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all the while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood.

The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori's aid one minute, and betraying her the next - threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she's fought so hard to win.

PRAISE FOR ELIZABETH LIM

'A dazzling fairy tale full of breathtaking storytelling' Stephanie Garber
'An amazing creation!' Tamora Pierce
'The perfect blend of whimsy and ferociousness, with twists and turns that will tug at your heartstrings' Chloe Gong
'This is a gem for all lovers of whimsical fantasy!' Natasha Ngan
'Lim is a master storyteller which is apparent with every magical turn of the page' Kerri Maniscalco
'This book is magic!' Kristin Cashore <>< 'elizabeth lim takes readers on a captivating and wholly original journey' melissa bashardous 'elizabeth="" lim="" takes="" readers="" on="" a="" captivating="" and="" wholly="" original="" journey'="" melissa="">