Book excerpt: The life of a star-studded royal has not been kind to eighteen year-old Elena Watkins. With a Council breathing down her neck and a dragon that refuses to accept her as her rider, she must convince everyone that she is ready to rule Paegeia like her parents before her. But she has made a promise to her father King Albert, that she will not go looking for him and free the people of Etan. Elena has promised to never truly fulfil her destiny. However, situations out of her control will soon force her to confront herself and the evil that seeks to destroy her. Elena must look inside herself to discover if she can defeat the approaching darkness, be accepted by the people of Paegeia, bring her dragon back to light and fulfill the destiny written in their stars.