Book excerpt: Years after Hidden City, not everyone is convinced that peace is possible. Battles in space are still common and people struggle to work through their differences. To prevent the strained peace treaties from falling apart, a new planet for prisoners is terraformed. While the planet is being prepared, all the prisoners are placed on a continent anxiously awaiting their fate where dangerous animals can tear through the prison's defenses. Calix became a dragon warrior to avoid shapeshifters who didn't consider him one of them. Now he is struggling to accept himself as a telepath. As a Hidden City warrior, he sees the conflicts in space and understands why Vastus and Carcer are necessary. Can Calix conquer his fears and find value in his new skills?