Dragon Heart

America's most distinguished historical novelist steps fully into the realm of fantasy and makes it her own.Where the Cape of Winds juts into the endless sea, there is Castle Ocean, which is either haunted or simply alive. There in dwells the royal family that has ruled from time immemorial. But there is an empire growing in the East, and its forces have reached the castle. King Reymarro is dead in battle and, by the new treaty, Queen Marioza must marry one of the Emperor's brothers. She loathes the idea, and has already killed the first brother. A second arrives, escorted by soldiers. While Marioza delays, her youngest son, Jeon, goes on a journey in search of his mute twin, Tirza, who must be present for the wedding. As Jeon and Tirza return, their ship is attacked by a powerful dragon. Thrown into the water, Tirza clings to the dragon, and finds herself alone with the creature in an inland sea pool. Surprisingly, she is able to talk to the beast, and understand it. So begins a saga of violence, destruction, and death, of love and monsters, human and otherwise.