For twenty-seven hopefuls, discovering a mate-bond with Dragonwall's princess offers a chance to gain the crown. When King Cornan issues a summons, hopefuls flock to the capital to try their luck with the princess. Lena wants absolutely nothing to do with them, but she understands the rules of Dragonwall's Charter. If she fails to find her mate by the age of eighteen, she must relinquish the crown. All she has trained for will be lost. Fate deals Lena a terrible blow. Then a mysterious stranger appears to compete for the crown, with pearlescent dragon scales and smoldering green eyes. Tristan's name is on everyone's lips, even Lena's. As she gets to know him, she begins to question everything. Perhaps the life she has always wanted might not compare to the unimaginable future Tristan has to offer.