In violation of every law of the Dragon Temple, which forbids women to own property, Zarq Darquel has secured a dragon estate for herself. But now that her former overlord has begun a fanatical crusade to find her, Zarq’s last ally—his turncoat brother—can no longer stand between her and the threat of imprisonment.
Abandoning the estate where she thought she would be safe, she journeys deep into the jungle in search of an ancient dragon secret that would give her the power to overthrow her pursuer and the corrupt Dragon Temple. She has taken with her some of the female dragons from her own estate, and in the jungle she will once again risk the dragons’ highly addictive, hallucinogenic venom— renewing a craving that is becoming an obsession...
Janine Cross has published a literary novel and short fiction in various Canadian magazines and was nominated for an Aurora Award. Her non-speculative fiction has appeared in newspapers and a local anthology, *Shorelines*.
Description:
In violation of every law of the Dragon Temple, which forbids women to own property, Zarq Darquel has secured a dragon estate for herself. But now that her former overlord has begun a fanatical crusade to find her, Zarq’s last ally—his turncoat brother—can no longer stand between her and the threat of imprisonment.
Abandoning the estate where she thought she would be safe, she journeys deep into the jungle in search of an ancient dragon secret that would give her the power to overthrow her pursuer and the corrupt Dragon Temple. She has taken with her some of the female dragons from her own estate, and in the jungle she will once again risk the dragons’ highly addictive, hallucinogenic venom— renewing a craving that is becoming an obsession...
### From Publishers Weekly
Cross's gritty finale to her dystopian feminist fantasy trilogy (after 2006's *Shadowed by Wings*) finds Zarq Darquel still in search of the safety and security of a home and family—and still struggling with her hunger for addictive dragon venom. In the face of laws prohibiting women from owning property, Zarq has defied the repressive patriarchal system of the Dragon Temple and acquired a dragon-egg producing estate. Harsh circumstances make her a foster parent and force her into several other roles, including those of revolutionary and pawn in a prophecy. Cross puts her heroine through brutal, fast-paced action sequences in a world resembling the Middle East. Without preaching, the author handles challenging themes of addiction, graphic sexuality, racism, slavery and the oppression of children and women. This concluding installment is for adult readers who like their escapism darker than their reality. *(Apr.)*
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### About the Author
Janine Cross has published a literary novel and short fiction in various Canadian magazines and was nominated for an Aurora Award. Her non-speculative fiction has appeared in newspapers and a local anthology, *Shorelines*.