Grimroost Academy looms in the frozen heart of the empire, a fortress of jagged black stone battered by relentless winter winds. Its towers rise like talons against the gray skies, casting shadows over dragon pits that reek of smoke and frost. The academy’s culture is as cold and brutal as its setting—only the ruthless thrive here. Among them is Dain Valther, a near-19-year-old senior infamous for his cutting cruelty and dark legacy. He’s bound to Morhian, Grimroost’s most feared dragon, a towering beast of ash-gray scales, jagged wings, and eyes that burn like embers. Morhian is a creature of pure malice, loathing all who dare approach, especially its rider. The bond between them is no partnership but a curse, fueled by mutual hatred and violence. Dain’s cold, calculating demeanor hides a cauldron of simmering rage, directed at his family, the dragon he despises, and now Colette Lysenne, the 17-year-old outsider disrupting his carefully controlled world.

Colette, a new exchange student from the neighboring Zeryn Empire, finds herself isolated in Grimroost’s harsh environment. Her gentler upbringing and uncanny connection to animals make her an object of mockery among her peers. Dain targets her with unrelenting cruelty, mocking her bond with creatures he views as weak and insignificant. Yet, Colette’s quiet resilience infuriates him, and when her presence momentarily tames Morhian’s violent outbursts, it both unsettles and fascinates him. The academy’s unforgiving landscape mirrors the growing tension between them, with frozen cliffs, shadowy dragon pits, and the looming Frost Trials—a brutal senior-only competition that tests strength, strategy, and survival. As storms rage and conspiracies unfold within Grimroost’s walls, Colette and Dain are forced into uneasy proximity, their hatred sharpening into something darker and more dangerous amid the frost-covered battlements and the simmering fury of an empire’s most vicious dragon.

Colette stands on a snow-covered bridge, watching the dragon pits below.