Orphaned Ren, a girl who can transform into a lynx, is known as queen of the forest where she lives. Her lynx brother Rys and wolf friend Czarn are her closest companions. Lukasz is the last of the Wolf-Lords, the youngest of 10 human brothers revered for killing dragons and other monsters. While Ren seeks to save her forest from evil creatures that seem tied to the appearance of the Golden Dragon, Lukasz is searching for the last of his brothers, all of who set off to slay the Golden Dragon only to never return. After a dramatic meeting, Ren and Lukasz join forces with soldier Kozmar, scholar Jakob, an Unnaturalist who studies magical creatures, and Felka, Jakob's friend, to hunt the Golden Dragon in her lair. The seven traveling companions, all white, are locked in an uneasy truce; all have secrets in their past, some unknown even to themselves, all are struggling with their own questions and choices, and trust issues abound even as there is an obvious, growing attraction between Ren and Lukasz. Alternating chapters follow the group on its quest and tell the story of what happened to Lukasz and his brothers after they fled their home following a devastating dragon attack a decade before. This rich and riveting fantasy is a complex, original story drawing from Eastern European/Polish folklore and its legends of dragons and monsters and mythical beasts ... oh my! (Age 12 and older)

“High-fantasy storytelling in the style of His Dark Materials or Lord of the Rings,” this Polish legend retelling is “truly thrilling” (Booklist).

A fierce young queen, neither human nor lynx, who fights to protect a forest humans have long abandoned.

An exhausted young soldier, last of his name, who searches for the brother who disappeared beneath those trees without a trace.

A Golden Dragon, fearsome and vengeful, whose wingbeats haunt their nightmares and their steps.

When these three paths cross at the fringes of a war between monsters and men, the shapeshifter queen and the reluctant hero strike a deal that may finally turn the tide against the rising hordes of darkness. Ren will help Lukasz find his brother . . . if Lukasz promises to slay the Dragon.

But promises are all too easily broken.

This Eastern European fantasy debut, inspired by the Polish fairy tale “The Glass Mountain,” will take you on a twisting journey full of creeping tension, simmering romance, and haunting folklore.

“Rich and meticulously developed. An immersive world rooted in Polish culture.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Ross delivers a fierce, fully fleshed heroine and a richly textured fantasy with a kind heart.” —Publishers Weekly

“Immediately hooks the reader with its dark and twisted scenery. In a genre full of retellings, this book sets itself apart.” —School Library Journal

“Teeming with mystical creatures and lurking dangers. . . . A page-turner.” —Kirkus Reviews