The book opens where the previous book left off following the dragons, the keepers and the barge Tarman as they continue their trek up the river.
Sedric tastes some of the copper dragon's blood and it makes him ill. He is nursed back to health by Alise and Carson. Once he starts to feel better, he is plagued by the thoughts of the copper dragon.
It is revealed that one of the hunters, Jess, was sent by the Chalcedeans to kill a dragon and harvest it for parts. Jess threatens Leftrin in an attempt to blackmail him into helping. Leftrin meets him at the side of the copper dragon, Relpda, and they start to fight. Their fight is interrupted by a flood that everyone gets swept up in.
Sintara saves Alise and Thymara from the water, and they rejoin the rest of the group. Rapskal and Heeby are missing and presumed dead, along with the silver dragon, Relpda, Warken and Sedric.
Sedric wakes up in the river with Relpda and helps her get to shore. He is joined by Jess who asks for help killing the dragon. Sedric is conflicted but ultimately decides to kill Jess. A fight ensues, ending when Relpda eats Jess.
Greft confronts Thymara and tells her she must choose a man to mate with to avoid conflict within the keepers, but she refuses. He reveals that Jerd is pregnant.
The keepers are rescued by the Tarman and it's crew, who found Warken dead along the river bank. Alise discovers a locket in Sedric’s things that contains a portrait of Hest and a lock of his hair. She assumes this locket is a gift from Hest to her. She begins a relationship with Leftrin.
Carson finds Sedric on the river and they rejoin the Tarman. Alise asks Sedric about the locket and he reveals the affair he was having with Hest.
Tats and Thymara kiss but Thymara says she is not ready to make a choice. Carson and Sedric also begin a relationship.
The dragons reveal that by giving their keepers a taste of their blood, they can turn their keepers into Elderlings. This prompts a fight between Kalo and Greft when Kalo refuses to turn Greft into an Elderling. Kalo asks for a new keeper and selects Davvie. The silver dragon names himself Spit and requests Carson as his keeper.
Jerd miscarries her baby and Bellin takes the opportunity to remind the women what happens when you get pregnant in the Rain Wilds.
Greft disappears in the night. Carson and Sedric search for him and find that he was attacked and killed by a gallator. They also find that he stole Sedric’s stash of dragon parts and ate them in an attempt to become an Elderling. Sedric confesses to Carson that he was planning on selling dragon parts, and when they return to the Tarman, he confesses to Alise as well.
Thymara confronts Sintara about her back wounds and Sintara reveals that she is growing wings. Thymara is upset by this and she and Sintara begin to argue. Their argument is interrupted by Rapskal and Heeby descending from the skies - Heeby has learned to fly and has found Kelsingra, only a few days journey away.
The dragons arrive at the banks of Kelsingra and Sintara takes her first flight.
