Soar on the wings of adventure. More than a year has passed since Temeraire and Laurence departed for the Orient uncertain that they would ever return home; but after many adventures along the treacherous Silk Road, Britain's welcome shores are finally in sight. However, their home coming is not the jubilant one they expected. Temeraire's daring rescue of hundreds of Prussian soldiers from the besieged town of Danzig is hardly remarked upon, and instead he and Laurence are hushed and hered to a temporary camp far away from their friends. Something is very wrong. A terrible flu-like epidmic has swept through the British coverts and dragons are dying; only the facade of an aerial defnce now keeps Bonaparte at bayt... Laurenece and Temeraire must immediately prepare for another long journey. And to search for a cure they must venture to the most mysterious of places: Africa.