The narrative follows a party of malformed newly hatched dragons, their spurned and mistrusted human keepers and other supporters who set out on a quest to find safety in the legendary Elderling city of Kelsingra.

The book opens as a group of sea serpents have nearly finished their long journey upriver to encase themselves so they might hatch into dragons.

Thymara, an 11-year-old girl with claws and scaling, consistent with Rain Wilds defects from birth, goes with her father to watch the hatching of the dragons.

Alise Kincarron is a plain, freckled young woman, past the prime age for marriage and suspecting spinsterhood.

Agreeing, Alise begins to hope for a real marriage to her handsome suitor, but is desperately disappointed on her wedding night.

She ultimately decides that if she sold herself, she would demand a high price, and begins to use Hest's money freely to pursue her studies of dragons and Elderlings.

Captain Leftrin wants to give a lifetime contract to all of the workers to protect the secret of their illegal use of the forbidden substance.

After the shame of this event, she accuses him of being unfaithful to her, in the hopes of ending their marriage contract, and provides proof in certain things she has noted, such as his luxurious perfumes and a second house that he rents.

Alise confronts Hest about the promise he made on their marriage contract that she would be allowed to go on a trip to study the newly hatched dragons.

Hest is furious but when she threatens to spread the fact that he has put very little effort into conceiving a child on her, thus damaging his reputation, he agrees.

He is summoned to the Rain Wilds Council to be a part of the voyage, carrying supplies and providing a safe place for the keepers.

The Trader tells him to keep an eye out for someone that he should recognize, and Leftrin hopes that it is not a hunter hired to help feed the dragons that he is acquainted with.

Though Thymara is initially thrilled by the new companionship in the group of keepers, Greft tries to assert himself as leader, leading her to distrust him and his strange advances.

As the first few days pass, Sedric's attempts to convince Alise to give up her journey and go back fall on deaf ears.

Thymara, Tats, and a young girl named Sylve, try tending to the wounds on the weak silver dragon's tail.

The book closes with the last letter between the pigeon keepers, revealing Alise's father's concern about her agreement to travel up the Rain Wilds River with the expedition.