For centuries, the Riders of Valeryn have forged unbreakable bonds with mythical beasts, protecting the realm through a fragile alliance of fire, sea, earth, air, and shadow. Ariadne and Orion Valeryn have spent their entire lives preparing for one purpose: to survive Conscription and earn a bond worthy of their family's legacy. As the children of Valeryn's Headmasters-and the only twins ever born into the Riders-they carry expectations heavier than steel. But beneath every legend lies a truth history chose to bury. When whispers of the Ashen Convent begin to spread and an ancient enemy returns from the shadows, Ariadne is forced to question everything she has ever believed. The line between hero and villain begins to blur, loyalties fracture, and the bond that once united the realm threatens to become the very thing that tears it apart. Because sometimes the greatest danger isn't the monster standing before you... It's the truth you've been taught to fear.