When a magical creature talks Viper into creating weapons to prevent the rise of a dreaded Mindbender, Lorel agrees to help. Even if it does mean traveling with a monster-sized snake. But just reaching the distant land where they can collect the elements for those weapons is a nearly impossible quest. Slavers, mountains, monsters... Lorel can handle them. Figuring out new magic? Viper's ready to try. Putting up with each other for two thousand miles might be the hardest task of all.