It begins with Gilene being reunited with her husband, Azarion, at the Goban Market, while Halani and Hamod are offered a rare item from a pair of mercenaries in the form of a draga (dragon) claw. Halani, being an earth-witch herself, can tell the item is truly magical, but she cautions Hamod against purchasing the item, sensing it could be dangerous. Halani couldn't be more correct, since Malachus is hot on the heels of this relic that was stolen from his forefathers. The item is a "mother-bond" and it calls to its rightful owner like a siren song, and Malachus has been hunting those who stole it, and those who obtained it after them, for many years. Unfortunately for the current possessors of the mother-bond, he is getting close.
When he inevitably find these men, a battle ensues leaving Malachus gravely injured, but luckily, he is found by Halani, who is also a healer, and she insists on nursing him back to health, especially since he intervened earlier that day when a wealthy shopper was rude to her sweet mother. While he is grateful for the care that saved his very life, Malachus has no idea that the mother-bond he so desperately seeks is here with this particular group, but he senses its close proximity.
As his body heals, he learns much about Halani and Asil, and he begins to teach Halani to read, something she has always yearned to do. The two also begin to fall for one another, although Halani knows he is a secretive man on a mission and could never stay to be her permanent mate. Meanwhile, Hamod is working a deal to sell the draga bone for a fortune, but to do so, he will have to travel to the mystical Maesor Market, a place from which most people return somehow changed... and not for the better.
Meanwhile back in Kraelag, the Spider of Empire, Empress Dalvila, beseeches her cat's paw, Gharek, to obtain the mother-bond for her, since she lost her arm in the battle with the Savatar people, led by Azarion (also in the first book). The wicked woman also wants a new set of dragon bones to adorn her bedroom ceiling, since the former ones were destroyed in the raging fires and battle that ruined her once glorious city. She knows a draga in the form of a man will be searching for the mother-bond and she wants Gharek to get there first, to lure the man-creature to her so she can drain him of his healing blood. Sadly for Gharek, he has no choice but to do as Dalvila wishes, for his own young daughter was born with no arms and he is the only thing that stands between her and an angry crowd that hates anyone who looks different. So, find the mother-bond he must.
Malachus is also a time bomb, himself, as he must reunite with the mother-bond soon, lest his human body fully transform into a draga, immolating him and everything around him. At least with the mother-bond, he can somewhat control and survive the transformation. As he grows to care for Halani and her group, he certainly doesn't want to accidentally burn them all to death, but his drive for the mother-bond is his primary focus, that is, until Dalvila gets her claws on Halani as bait. As you can imagine, when all of these parties finally convene, it's going to be an epic showdown.
I loved Dragon Unleashed as much as Phoenix Unbound and possibly more. I hadn't realized that each book in the series would focus on a different group of characters, yet they would still be familiar, having been introduced previously. It's a brilliant way to keep things fresh and yet familiar to the reader. Malachus and Halani are a fiery and intense couple and I thoroughly enjoyed their journey. I can't wait to see what comes next in this series. Highly recommended.
