Every century, six dragon eggs inexplicably fall from the heavens. Once hatched, each dragon bites a young adult, forever merging their souls, granting them an elemental ability, and creating the next generation of Bitten Knights. No one in the north was surprised when Maximus Duskfell found his hand between the fangs of the newest dragon hatchling, as he had proven to be the ideal Bitten Knight-fearless, unyielding, and filled with unlimited potential. But when a twist of fate diverts Maximus' path, his unlikely brother, Darren Duskfell, is forced to secretly inherit his sibling's identity, destiny, and dragon... a dragon that loathes his very existence. If the training doesn't kill him, the Swarmborne, the half-human, half-insect warriors might. He may not have any of his brother's physical talents, but he may just have the wit and the will. Meanwhile, clear on the other side of the world, their friend Ryker has become entangled in a deadly cult that claims to have uncovered the dark truth of the Bitten Knights. They've aligned with the Swarmborne in hopes of accomplishing their goal: butcher the Bitten Knights and resurrect their scaly gods.