Eshtem University stands as a pillar of opportunity, a place where any Ellyrian youth can apply to join the elite Order of the Edrei. Graduates become dragon-riding, magic-wielding peacekeepers who are respected the world over.

The first royal from House Noraan to attend Eshtem in a century, Princess Christina is determined to fulfill her lifelong dream of joining the Edrei - even as she begins to question their honor.

Jadon, heir to the high prince of a rival House, uses Eshtem as an excuse to unwind from his father's mounting pressure. His privilege and recklessness attract respect from some classmates but nurture the ire of others, including Jenne, a common born student who seeks to keep secret the fact that her memories were wiped before the year started.

Smitten with Jenne, roommates with Jadon, and sworn to Christina's House, Diar finds himself torn between the three while juggling his coursework and the complex social politics of Eshtem.

As these four students compete for position among their peers, evidence of corruption within the Order surfaces. They will have to reexamine their future and the roles they wish to play as Edrei... if they aren't expelled first.