[Heirs to the Throne 03] • Dragon Defense

When an Institute battleship tracks Donovan’s crew to Drako, it threatens to destroy the whole planet. Twenty years ago the Zebulon executed a desperate escape from Institute-controlled space, and Dr. Alexander deleted crucial records about Transfer from Institute files. He hoped their trail would vanish before the Institute discovered the sabotage. He was wrong! Humiliated by the exodus of the scientists, Fremont won’t rest until he extracts the ultimate revenge. Donovan must train new recruits to operate forbidden technology and bored teenagers look like perfect candidates. Is there enough time for feudal lordlings to learn space-age skills and save the planet?

New characters join the story. Desert riders kidnap Jarrack’s children and target his daughter, Shariel, who inherited Jarrack’s power of mind control. Afraid of using her special talent, she needs to perfect the skill and help her siblings escape from a desert rider prison. The royal princesses face other predicaments. Lauryn travels to a desert stronghold to halt a dangerous radiation leak and falls prey to Salizar, a desert rider eager to marry a princess. Tessa and the wolves capture Jarrack, whose mind dwells inside a vulnerable young son. Can they keep Jarrack contained? Brandon, a spoiled lordling wants Felesia as his bride and plots to shanghai Jordan.

A scheme to coax wild dragons to rescue Shariel and her telepathic siblings creates new opportunities for defense. Dragons enjoy giving rides to humans, but will they agree to fight for their new friends? As the clock ticks toward an explosive deadline, humans, dragons, and wolves execute a dramatic confrontation. Courage and ingenuity are the best weapons to prevent disaster and forge a new direction for the backward society. Will Donovan’s “dragon defense” strategy tip the balance in Drako’s favor? Their survival depends on its success.