This is perhaps the second time I have read the book over the years, but somehow I never go beyond this book in this series. I own all four in the quartet, but I don't seem to have the motivation to go beyond this one. It continues the story of Vetch, now known by his rightful name of Kiron.

In this book he gains a few friends, true friends who don't necessarily just want to befriend him for what he has (the second ever tame dragon), but ones who come to respect him for what he has managed to accomplish.

While it doesn't really show up as much in this story, he is still taking much inspiration from his mentor and master from the Tian Jousters and he manages to get the members of his wing of Altan Jousters to understand just how much he feels he owes his former master and possibly unrealizing mentor, Jouster Ari of Tia.

Through hardship, death, conspiracy, and challenges of how to train and overcome the wrongs being asked of them, Kiron's wing of Jousters overcome the odds and manage to free themselves and others from those who would kill them for challenging their authority, for not conforming to traditions and the unchallenged certainty that those who plot to take over Alta will do so with the unspoken permissions of the rightful rulers.