Nameless, a dragon is a lion that flies and breathes fire. Sir Joseph of Tredin, honored knight of Helston, is a new ... dragon. His transition from knight to dragon was at best traumatic. He was sent to find a cure for his dying human king; now, he faces a new problem. Joseph is the first dragon to have a soul but lack a dragon-name. The name is critical to a dragon, for it differentiates sentience from beast. The Abzu, the king of the dragons, is dying, and Joseph must ready himself to take his place. Standing in the way is Zustellen, a black dragon and offspring of Abzu. As Joseph searches for a name, he degrades progressively into a common beast. One day, Zustellen arrives with a remedy that will solve Joseph's problem in the most appalling way.