Attacked by the dreaded Witch-servants while sailing to her finishing school, Maira finds herself stranded far from home. Unused to doing things herself (she is a Sovereign Princess, after all), she enlists the help of Aeron, son of shipwrecked farmers, to return home. Trapped on the Mainland, with no way back, Maira knows she must ask the help of the Queen. But Queen Irvette has her own selfish agenda; she will not lend them her dragons without payment...