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For generations, the Palindrake family of Caradore have been cut off from their spiritual source, Foy the Sea Dragon Queen, since their ancestor Valraven I and his family were conquered and subjugated by the Emperor Cassilin of Magrast, follower of Madragore, the pitiless god of fire. The Palindrakes' connection to the powers of the sea was lost, remembered only in songs and legends, and the name of each male heir: Valraven. Now, most men of the Caradorean families are sent away to war, to fight for the current emperor, Leonid, who is known only as a family friend to the Palindrakes--their sorry history is mostly forgotten by those who now live in the pale castle beside the thrashing ocean.

But the sea dragons live on in the hearts of the Caradorean people, especially the women, and when Pharinet Palindrake's twin brother Valraven is sent to Magrast to join the emperor's army, events are set in motion that will revive magics long forgotten, as well as enmities, passions and fears.

The sea dragon Foy is not a gentle entity, and once roused, her terrifying daughters are unleashed upon the world. How can a people estranged from these powerful spiritual influences reclaim their dominion over the elements, while illicit obsessions wreak havoc between the ruling families, bringing death and ruin to ancient houses? Will it be down to a daughter of fire, the princess Varencienne, brought as a wife to Caradore, to help her newfound people retrieve what is theirs and bring the sea dragon heir, Valraven, back to the might of the ocean and its strange, unearthly denizens?

The dragon queen and her daughters demand a high price, and only the strongest may pay it.

Shan's life in the peaceful village of Holme is overturned when the forces of Magravandias pour over the hills to plunder and destroy in the name of their emperor, Leonid Malagash. Snatched from the bloody ruins and then taken under the wing of Taropat, a mysterious magus, Shan's wounds heal and he realises his new mentor has rescued him for a purpose. Taropat is a sworn enemy of Magravandias and its Dragon Lord, Valraven Palindrake. But Taropat is not what he seems and harbours unimaginable secrets.

From the wyrd forest of his revival, and its bizarre inhabitants, to the royal court of Mewt, one of the most enigmatic lands in the empire, Shan absorbs quickly his undreamt of education. He is no longer a simple village boy, but a magus--and a warrior--in the making. He is drawn inescapably into the fate of the world, as players upon the stage of politics and war make unfathomable moves to claim power. Is Valraven the mortal enemy Shan has been led to believe he is, or is he in fact the only possible saviour of the known world against the machinations of the corrupt Malagash dynasty?

As Taropat's secrets are revealed, and the inscrutable Magravandian governor of Mewt, Lord Maycarpe, draws Shan into his cabal, so a company is formed to undertake an archetypal quest into a symbolic landscape, where nothing is as it seems. While long-buried passions and the spirit of the land itself seek to tear the company apart, Shan and his companions must continue, against all odds, to reclaim the Crown of Silence. But who--ultimately--is to wear it?

They who walk the way of light cast a shadow...

In the Magravandian capital of Magrast, the emperor, Leonid, lies dying. His warring sons wait in the shadows to fight for the throne against the legitimate heir, Prince Gastern.

Valraven Palindrake, Dragon Lord of the imperial army, concerned only with keeping his family safe in these precarious times, has vowed to support Gastern. But other people, in secret cabals across the world, have different ideas, and see Valraven as the obvious champion to overthrow the rule of the decadent Malagashes. He is the Sea Dragon Heir of mystical Caradore, the only man in power fit to wear the ancient Crown of Silence that embodies all the best qualities of a true king.

While Valraven devotes himself to keeping order in Magrast in the run-up to Gastern's coronation, his wife Varencienne and his daughter Ellony are kidnapped by the magus Taropat and his apprentice Shan, who are opposed to either Valraven or any of the Malagashes taking the throne.

As the new emperor goes slowly insane, tormented by horrific visions, Valraven is forced to face up to the dreams that others have invested in him. The elemental dragon spirits of old are waking from their timeless sleep, and the eternal conflict between them and Madragore, god of the Magravandians, will be played out through human avatars. While shadowy figures plot and scheme to secure the best result for themselves, Valraven and his family must face perils both physical and spiritual to reclaim their lost heritage and harness the power of Foy, the sea dragon queen, once more.