The Waking Ember (Scales of Rebellion, Book One). In the darkest depths of the Citadel's breeding pits, where dragonkind is broken, trained, and branded for bloodsport, a small blue hatchling named Kaelrik survives by staying quiet. Too small. Too slow. No fire. The slavers call him runt, mock his silence, and bind his wings before they can ever lift him to the skies. But Kaelrik watches. He learns. And when a forbidden relic-The Helm of Emberlight-begins to whisper to him, everything changes. Kaelrik isn't supposed to matter. His fire never came. But something ancient stirs in his bones, in the scars he carries, and in the name they tried to strip from him. As visions ignite within his mind and the past claws its way into the present, Kaelrik begins to remember what they wanted all dragons to forget: that fire can sleep in silence. That chains cannot hold embers forever. And that rebellion begins with just one spark. Thrown into brutal training arenas and tested by cruel Judges, Kaelrik is forced to fight for survival-until he makes a different choice: escape. Now on the run through the twisted Wyrmwild, Kaelrik meets Pyrrh, a mysterious fire priest who believes Kaelrik is the key to awakening a long-dead resistance. Together, they uncover relics of the Dragon Lords, navigate haunted forests where memory is weaponized, and evade slavers who will stop at nothing to reclaim what Kaelrik has stolen. But Kaelrik is no longer just a runt with a name. He is Emberborne. And the Helm is remembering him too. As Kaelrik learns to wield instinct sharper than any blade, visions guide his path toward something far greater than survival: revolution. With every choice, he must decide what kind of flame he carries-one that destroys, or one that frees. He was forged in cages, raised in silence... but Kaelrik is waking now. And fire never forgets. The Waking Ember is the first novel in Scales of Rebellion, a cinematic fantasy series perfect for fans of Wings of Fire, The Dragon Prince, and The Last Airbender. Featuring a richly detailed world, deep emotional arcs, and fierce characters who fight for more than themselves, this is a dragon's tale unlike any you've read before. Small dragon.Big destiny.The ember wakes.