Temeraire and Laurence continue to develop their notions of draconic equality in British society; they find common cause with William Wilberforce and the abolitionist movement in exchange for assistance from prominent political leaders.

Riley is also further thrown off balance by the discovery that some of the Aerial Corps' officers, including Lily's captain Catherine Harcourt, are women (the acid-spitting Longwing breed, along with a few others, refuse to accept male handlers).

After several weeks of searching, the formation makes land at the Cape of Good Hope; Maximus, the Regal Copper, is so weary that his handler Berkley does not believe he will ever return home.

Scarcely has this realization set in that the Aerial Corps are beset by Tswana humans and dragons; the British beasts, who have been sent back to the Cape with their precious cargo, are unable to prevent their aircrews from being captured, and Rev.

Hannah Erasmus, taken from the Tswana some twenty years ago, is of particular importance during their captivity: not only is she able to provide some intercession for the British, but her word is given extra weight by Kefentse, her dragon ancestor who is overjoyed to have her back.

The Tswana, in addition to being fiercely offended by the depredations of the African slave trade on their people, practice a form of ancestor worship in which dragons are brought up to believe they are the reincarnations of former (human) leaders.

Upon returning to Britain, they discover that the latest abolitionist bill in Parliament was defeated by strong opposition from Admiral Horatio Nelson and that Sauvignon, now infected with the plague, has "escaped" back to France.