Raised by sentient, language-using wolves, then later plunged back into human society, young Firekeeper has found that her training as a pack animal stands her in good stead amidst deadly political intrigues. When Firekeeper and her Royal Wolf companion Blind Seer are kidnapped and dragged overseas, they must maneuver for their lives in an unfamiliar new society. Unlike other humans, their captors are quite aware that Royal animals like Blind Seer exist, are intelligent, and can speak to each other. They've kidnapped Firekeeper and Blind Seer because they want to learn to speak to their own Royal animals. Increasingly, though, it appears that those Royal animals are being held in polite and unobtrusive bondage. Firekeeper wants to find out the truth -- and, if necessary, free them...