A young boy runs away from home to rescue an abused baby dragon held captive to serve as a free twenty-four hour, seven-days-a-week ferry for the lazy wild animals living on Wild Island.

A newly-hatched, rare scarlet dragon comes under the special protection of the King and Prince Lucas, so when the dragon becomes ill Lucas and Clara set out for the forest of Burth to find the vixberries needed for a cure.

"The world is no longer safe for the Dragon Rider Murtagh and his dragon, Thorn. An evil king has been toppled, and they are left to face the consequences of the reluctant role they played in his reign of terror. Now they are hated and alone, exiled to the outskirts of society. Throughout the land, hushed voices whisper of brittle ground and a faint scent of brimstone in the air--and Murtagh senses that something wicked lurks in the shadows of Alaga�esia....

When the king decides to take the dragons to Arkwood to visit Queen Rose, Rori, Drake, and their dragons are left behind--so when the evil wizard Maldred attacks the castle riding a giant four-headed dragon that spits poison, the two young dragon masters and their dragons are forced to defend the castle by themselves.