In the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire, magical, elemental Crows are part of every aspect of life. Then the Illucian empire invades, destroying everything. Princess Anthia and her sister Caliza are running the kingdom after their mother's death, but all Thia can do is think of all she has lost. Then Caliza is forced to agree to a marriage between Thia and the crown prince of Illucia. When Thia stumbles upon a hidden Crow egg in the rubble of a rookery, she and her sister devise a dangerous plan to hatch the egg in secret-- and get back what was taken from them. -- adapted from jacket