When a mysterious ring suddenly appears on reclusive teenager Ellen's bookshelf, she is granted the power to travel miles away from everything she's ever known. There she meets Shard, a friendly dragon who offers to help Ellen grow her stunted-since-birth magic. Although it seems too good to be true, Ellen accepts, sure she can conquer her self-hatred by becoming an accomplished magician. Little does she know, her magical voyages have raised the suspicions of those who would destroy her.

Young and lonely, Shard is determined to find his first friend in Ellen. But befriending a creature as detested as a human could spell banishment from his tribe - or worse. As the bond between them grows, they will have to face their deepest fears. If they can't, their friendship is doomed ... along with any chance they have of saving both their kinds from annihilation.