Esters family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her fathers painful silence and a single, overwhelming need to kill the monsters that took her family. Esters path leads her to join the Kings Royal Mews, where the giant rocs of legend are flown to hunt manticores by their brave and dedicated ruhkers. Paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, Ester finds purpose and acclaim by devoting herself to a calling that demands absolute sacrifice and a creature that will never return her love. The terrifying partnership between woman and roc leads Ester not only on the empires most dangerous manticore hunt, but on a journey of perseverance and acceptance.