The Flames of Hope

The Flames of Hope

Cover artist	Joy Ang
Published	April 5, 2022
Page count	368
ISBN	9781338214574 (hardcover) 9781338214581 (paperback)
Preceded by	The Dangerous Gift
Followed by	The Hybrid Prince
Chapter Index
Prologue • 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • Epilogue

The Flames of Hope is the fifteenth novel in the Wings of Fire novel series and is the fifth and last book in arc three. It features Luna as the main protagonist.

Blurb

The #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series is hotter than ever, and this thrilling conclusion to the Lost Continent Prophecy arc is a must-read!

With talons united...

Luna has always wanted to change the world -- to fix it, to free it -- even if she's never actually known how. Now that all of dragon- and humankind are in mortal danger, Luna is flying back home to Pantala with a team of dragons on a rescue mission, determined to be brave and useful.

But saving a continent isn't as easy as a prophecy makes it sound, and "facing a great evil" definitely requires more than the fiery silk that Luna is uniquely able to create.

As she fights her way to the abyss that hides the dark roots poisoning Pantala, Luna must uncover a long-buried secret and unite her friends, her enemies, and her own powers. If she doesn't, she won't get to change the world. She'll have to say goodbye to it -- forever.

Plot

Prologue

Raven mulled over the Leaders’ decision to forsake the abyss, erasing it from mention and memory. She agreed that worshiping it should end, but abandoning Vole, the current Guardian of the Abyss and Mole’s older brother, felt unbearable. She thought of Quartz, a dull human she wouldn’t miss, easily left behind. Visiting Mole, they discussed Vole’s message about finding “the dragon.” After deliberation, they resolved to bring a dragon to the abyss, hoping it would restore Vole.

The Land Across the Sea

Luna, guided by Tsunami, used a dreamvisitor to enter Swordtail’s dream, where he stood paralyzed on a pedestal in Misbehaver’s Way, believing it was his place. Luna disagreed, pushing him off, and his instinctive wing movement broke his paralysis. She vowed to break the othermind’s control and asked his real-world location; he revealed he was in Cicada Hive. They agreed to meet in the Mosaic Garden once free. They reminisced about the day Swordtail asked Luna to be his girlfriend, sitting on a box of honey drops. Wasp forcibly woke Swordtail, pulling Luna back to her body.

Luna and the stealth team set out to find the abyss from Queen Snowfall’s vision, following a map to the other continent. While flying, they debated when to use their stealth wristbands. Upon landing on an island, they were ambushed by mind-controlled HiveWings and a SilkWing. Sundew used the gift of stealth to hide part of the team, but Tsunami, Qibli, and Pineapple, unhidden, were attacked. Tsunami and Qibli were paralyzed by HiveWing toxin, and they, along with an invisible Moonwatcher, were captured and taken to Wasp Hive. Most HiveWings left with the prisoners, leaving four injured ones behind. The remaining team decided Sundew and Lynx would pursue the captives, while the others headed to Pantala to wait.

In a cave system on Pantala, they encountered a human, Axolotl, studying a dragon book. Wren followed Axolotl to their village and learned their name. When the dragons became visible, they asked about the abyss, and Axolotl offered to guide them to a village that worshipped it in exchange for translating a dragon book. En route, Pokeweed spotted them and led them to a group of dragons hiding from Queen Wasp, including SilkWings from Bloodworm, Jewel, and Mantis Hives, plus Lady Scarab, Lady Jewel, Bryony, Hemlock, and Pokeweed. The group was curious about the newcomers, and a young SilkWing, Dusky, grew attached to Luna, hinting at his lack of family by saying, “It’s just me.” Luna created flamesilk for them, explaining its five types: gold, firefly, glow, blaze, and sun silk. Tau shared knowledge of a human water source and agreed to lead them there the next day, while Hemlock and Bloodworm Hive’s Chrysalis members planned to watch for the missing stealth team at Lake Scorpion.

The next morning, Whitespeck told Luna about Dusky’s family and Bloodworm Hive. Luna, Tau, Cricket, Bryony, Bullfrog, Sky, Wren, Axolotl, and Dusky set off for the human colony. On the way, Raven and Mole kidnapped Dusky. Luna’s group chased them to the abyss, where Wren tried negotiating his release. Before they could resolve it, Vole leapt from the ceiling, seized Dusky, and plunged into the abyss.

A Secret Buried Far Below

Luna followed Vole and Dusky into the abyss, entering a room filled with the breath of evil. In a throne room, she saw a plant growing through a dead human and hybrid dragonet’s skulls. The Othermind, calling itself the world’s emperor, mocked her flamesilk escape plan, as its smoke would control her. Vines trapped Luna and Dusky, and they fainted.

They awoke in a dreamlike Sanctuary, hearing humans led by Coyote, an “emperor.” Luna, invisible, followed them to a city discussing the Diamond and Jaguar Empires. Scenes shifted to humans stealing dragon eggs, killing dissenters, and committing cruelties, marking the Scorching’s start. Dusky condemned humans; Luna defended some. In pre-Tree Wars Pantala, Cottonmouth planned to use the breath of evil to control dragons, demonstrating on a human and a hybrid dragonet, Lizard. Lizard, trapped 5,000 years with Cottonmouth, demanded Dusky’s memories. In a mindspace, she showed Dusky’s school but refused to bring Swordtail, dismissing SilkWings. She denied guilt for controlled dragons, claiming her life was worse.

Luna sympathized, and Dusky asked to free Lizard. Cottonmouth said the plant kept them alive. In Wasp’s throne room, Cottonmouth unbound Tsunami, Pineapple, and Qibli, demanding Sundew’s location. Luna offered her memories for their freedom. Lizard cleared an escape path as Pineapple attacked Wasp, but Cottonmouth revealed one was already controlled, with more to follow.

Talons United

Luna heard Cricket calling from outside the cave. Cottonmouth used Luna’s body to trick Cricket’s group into chasing Sundew to capture her. Luna called him a monster; he claimed anyone would want his power. Lizard demanded Luna’s promised memories, saying they’d be safe. She clarified Wasp only controlled HiveWings, a fraction of their power, with Cottonmouth dominating as Lizard was sidelined and the plant mindless. Dusky offered his memories, showing Bloodworm Hive where his father taught a young Dusky his name. Dusky said “Dada” and showed a rotting banana, which Lizard found boring.

Luna comforted Dusky, but Lizard deemed his father’s care un-dragonlike. Luna argued dragons care, but Lizard didn’t understand and demanded Luna’s memories. In Silkworm Hall, young Luna, Blue, Swordtail, and Io worked on Io’s weaving. Luna and Swordtail distracted the headmaster, letting Io and Blue escape. Lizard mocked their sacrifice, not grasping Luna’s care for Blue.

Pineapple entered the mindspace, confused until Luna revealed Cottonmouth’s control. They watched Tsunami, Qibli, and Pineapple/Cottonmouth flee the Hives. Cottonmouth suggested Lake Scorpion, lying that Luna told him. Luna learned Lizard’s leafspeak controlled the vines but refused freedom. They saw Sundew, Moonwatcher, and Lynx by a fire, surprised at the escapees.

Luna traded Pineapple’s memories—him cuddling Jambu—for her and Dusky’s freedom. Moon entered, her mind-reading keeping her free, and warned of Pineapple’s control. Cottonmouth accused Moon instead, sparking a fight. Lynx made everyone visible; Cottonmouth threatened Luna to lure Sundew to the abyss. Sundew agreed, hoping to defeat the plant. They flew to Lake Scorpion, invisible except Pineapple.

Luna showed Lizard dragons’ love via memories: Moon’s loneliness naming moons, Sundew meeting Willow, Lynx’s royal fort game, Qibli fighting a thief, and Tsunami debating kingdoms. Lizard disliked them, feeling unrelated, but Luna connected her to each, saying her lack of love was unfair. Lizard admitted love causes folly but claimed indifference.

Lizard revealed cutting the vine through her and Cottonmouth’s bodies would end the breath of evil, killing them. Luna, inspired by brave dragons, tied silk between their heads, hoping to save Lizard, but cut the wrong spot. Lizard said the vine below her head was needed, rejecting Luna’s coexistence idea. Dusky named her Freedom for her sacrifice. Luna and Dusky cut the vine, freeing dragonkind.

Luna burned the vine’s remnants, realizing her regular silk saved the world. She, Dusky, and Vole rejoined Sky, Wren, and Axolotl, meeting the stealth team. The next morning, Luna reunited with Swordtail in the Mosaic Garden, squashing honey drops. They joined Cricket, Sky, Pineapple, Wren, and Axolotl at the webs, meeting Io, Burnet, Silverspot, and Blue. Luna introduced Cricket to her and Blue’s mothers, reflecting that changing the world was a shared effort.

Epilogue

Luna marveled at the dragon-filled sky, her six weavings unable to capture its beauty. Swordtail, mocking the new SilkWing Assembly, suggested a tapestry of it; Luna believed it would stabilize. Post-Othermind, Queen Wasp was imprisoned, Queen Jewel led HiveWings, some of whom joined SilkWing camps to escape Wasp’s legacy, while others, shockingly, wanted her back. Belladonna handled those loyalists, but Luna’s hope for an easy fix faded. Swordtail urged focus on good dragons. Blue, Cricket, Axolotl, Sundew, Willow, Bumblebee, and Cricket’s parents arrived, noting mind-controlled dragons like Malachite found refuge in the LeafSilk Kingdom. Blue admired the view, Willow teased Sundew, and Swordtail bantered about a tree-planting party. Cricket showed Sundew a tree, which her leafspeak grew mighty. Luna, avoiding dark themes like the Scorching, wanted joyful weavings, while Cricket planned to write true histories with Malachite. Luna doubted big dreams’ worth, but friends insisted they mattered. She empathized with harmful dragons but condemned their actions. Sundew requested the dreamvisitor for Pyrrhian friends, and Luna noted Jambu and Pineapple’s upcoming visit, with plans to see Pyrrhia, wondering about the future.

Gallery

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  The poster that came in the special edition of the Flames of Hope, featuring Swordtail and Luna.
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  The full cover for the Flames of Hope.
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  The Playaway version of the Flames of Hope
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  The Flames of Hope in French
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  The Flames of Hope in Korean.
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  The Flames of Hope in Russian.