The islands of Skaylenda float above poisonous black clouds, and worst of all is to end up down below, at the edge of the abyss. No one there will protect you from gigantic metal snakes that can wipe out an entire district in one go. Sixteen-year-old Conrad dreams of revenge against his uncle, who seized the ancestral estate on the island’s summit. But exiled to the Lowlands, Conrad is forced to strike a deal with his uncle—for his sister, whom the uncle left under his care. He must pass selection into the Huntworks, where he’ll face harsh training, intrigues from rivals, and a deadly contest. To fulfill his part of the bargain, Conrad will have to kill as many sky monsters as possible and prove that he deserves to become the captain of a ship. It isn’t easy when there are traitors on board. However, Conrad doesn’t yet know that the most serious threat is hidden beneath the black clouds…