Fifteen-year-old Alys is not a witch. But that doesnt matter--the villagers think she is and have staked her out on a hillside as a sacrifice to the local dragon.Its late, its cold, and its raining, and Alys can think of only one thing--revenge. But first shes got to escape, and even if she does, how can one girl possibly take on an entire town alone?Then the dragon arrives--a dragon that could quite possibly be the perfect ally. . . .