Whether you need a refresher before book 2, you didn’t finish reading before the book club, or you want to scope out the story for your child, this synopsis page of On Hidden Wings is for you! Warning: it contains ALL spoilers!
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Brief Summary
SPOILER ALERT!
In a land where the monarchy has turned against the non-Human races, Becka’s identity as a winged Centaur jeopardizes her life. As a mixed-race child—half Centaur, half Seraph—she’s always felt like an outsider, but now her parents can no longer be the bastion of safety she needs. Separated from her Centaur father, Becka and her Seraph mother, Miryam, use their shapeshifting abilities to impersonate Humans while waiting for his return. Every day risks that the relentless soldiers of the Stoneridge Army, who have developed a potent tay infusion to force non-Humans to show their true forms, will discover Becka’s and Miryam’s true natures as Dynamics. When her mother falls ill and her father shows no sign of returning, Becka can’t afford to wait for him anymore.
Becka sneaks into the palace itself searching for the truth of what happened during the Purge that separated them. Rather than the answer she seeks, she finds in the library an unexpected ally: the young prince, Ryandru. Practically a prisoner in his own palace, Ryandru can’t understand why his uncle, the Regent Tobiashton, is neglecting his training to be king when he is the sole heir. His desperation for a friend urges him to help Becka unreservedly. Becka, however, has her own reservations because she senses he’s not fully Human when she hears him unintentionally heartspeak—a silent communication that only Dynamics can use.
As they comb the library’s records together, their friendship grows until Becka reveals who she really is—and that Ryandru isn’t who he thinks he is. He has Seraph heritage and the ability to shapeshift like Becka. When his mother, Princess Sharlisa, refuses to answer his questions about his deceased father, he conceals his identity as prince and forces Becka to take him along on her quest to the border where her father is held prisoner.
Their attempt to rescue him during the prisoners’ deportation to the Seraph kingdom backfires. Alone and expelled from their country, the two encounter Sir Aron, the one Seraph who knows the truth about Ryandru’s Seraph father and his forbidden love for the princess. Ryandru realizes that his mother has hidden the truth to protect him, and that he must return home before his secret is discovered or his absence causes more unrest in the country. Unfortunately, Becka’s father isn’t among the refugees released at the border, and she despairs of finding him.
Aron connects the pair with members of the rebellion who sneak them back into their homeland. In payment for the kindness, Ryandru promises to deliver their demands to the regent, who has ignored all their prior pleas. Becka forms a special connection with one of the rebels, Torren—the only other winged Centaur she’s ever met—who offers to guide them most of the way home. As soon as they part ways, soldiers capture Ryandru and Becka, supposedly on the regent’s orders, and Ryandru convinces Becka that the only way to free her father now is to obtain a pardon from the regent. However, the soldiers instead take them to General Dominickolas, a traitorous lord whose conniving has caused much of the conflict between the races. When he threatens to kill Ryandru and take over the heirless kingdom, Becka reveals her Centaur form to take out his guards and help Ryandru escape.
Upon their return to the palace, Ryandru explains how Becka has saved his life repeatedly and become his closest friend, even though standing up for her defies the regent’s orders. Rather than arresting her, the regent agrees to pardon her family so they can reunite in safety. Because of her friendship with Ryandru, Becka understands the strength and beauty of who she is and can stand in her true identity, secure in herself. Ryandru reconciles with his mother and the regent, and—with the insight he has gained from his relationship with Becka and journey among the rebels—resolves to become the king who will reconcile all his people.
Full Summary
SPOILER ALERT!
When the monarchy of Aldom turns against the non-Human races, Becka’s identity as a winged Centaur sentences her to forced labor, deportation, or even death—if she gets caught. As a mixed-race child—half Centaur, half Seraph—she’s always felt like an outsider, but now her parents can no longer be the bastion of safety she needs.
A year ago, the Purge separated her from her Centaur father, Darven, when the Stoneridge Army led by General Dominickolas raided their village. Becka and her Seraph mother, Miryam, use their shapeshifting abilities to impersonate Humans while working as weavers, awaiting Darven’s return to the place he promised to meet them outside the capital city so they can flee the country together. Every day risks that the relentless soldiers will discover Becka’s and Miryam’s true natures if they make a single mistake. The danger heightens when the authorities develop a potent tay infusion to force Dynamics (non-Humans) to show their true forms, demonstrated when the head of the City Guard, Captain Calvincent, arrests a Faun baker.
Despite her attempts to blend in, Miryam’s skilled weaving catches the eye of Princess Sharlisa, who commissions her to make a royal tapestry, a project that will take many weeks, in honor of the upcoming arrival of the visiting Prince Elliotto of Hendom. When Becka finds out that her contact in the underground Dynamic Uprising who promised to help find her father has been arrested, Miryam decides they can’t afford to wait anymore and must leave the country for Hendom without him, despite Becka’s heartbroken objections. But remaining in a secondary form takes constant energy and concentration, and becoming trapped in that form can lead to a painful death. Before they can leave, Miryam falls ill from the exhaustion of sustaining the Human form so much over the past year. Becka finds a Faun doctor who insists that Miryam keep her true Seraph form as much as possible over the coming weeks in order to recover—just the opportunity Becka needs to find her father before it’s too late.
Unable to access any other records, Becka must sneak into the palace itself to find the truth of what happened during the Purge that separated them. Since Dynamics can only transform when wearing material that comes from a living creature, she uses a metal anklet to tie her to her Human form to pass the tay test at the gate, a risky move that could kill her—and instead leaves her painfully exhausted from the close call. Nevertheless, she presses on, under the pretense of bringing weaving samples. Rather than the answer she seeks, she finds in the palace library an unexpected ally: the young prince Ryandru.
Practically a prisoner in his own palace, Ryandru can’t understand why his uncle, the Regent Tobiashton, is neglecting his training to be king when he is the sole heir. His desperation for a friend urges him to help Becka search the records unreservedly. Becka, however, has her own reservations because she senses he’s not fully Human when she hears him unintentionally heartspeak—a silent communication that only Dynamics can use. The Dynamics believe that Humans were once like them, but rejected their true form and abilities along with the other races when they declared the Human form to be most like the Lifegiver, the creator of all the world. The Humans, on the other hand, say that the Dynamics are all corruptions of the best form—leading to the terrible prejudice between them.
As Becka and Ryandru comb the library’s records together, their friendship grows until Becka reveals who she really is—and that Ryandru isn’t who he thinks he is. Becka helps him to discover that he has Seraph heritage and the ability to shapeshift like she does. When his mother, Princess Sharlisa, refuses to answer his questions about his deceased father and acts far too friendly with the newly-arrived Prince Elliotto, he conceals his identity as prince and forces Becka to take him along on her quest to the border where her father is held prisoner—and is slated for imminent deportation.
Their attempt to rescue him during the prisoners’ deportation to the Seraph kingdom backfires. Both Becka and Ryandru are caught and chained in Seraph form, then expelled from the country. To save Ryandru’s life, Becka breaks the chain off Ryandru’s wing, unfortunately also breaking the bone in the process. When they reach the nearest city of Serafidell, a Pegasus named Sunlight-on-the-Marigold uses her race’s special ability to heal him. The two also encounter Sir Aron, the one Seraph who knows the truth about Ryandru’s Seraph father and his forbidden love for the princess. Ryandru realizes that his mother has hidden the truth to protect him, and that he must return home before his secret is discovered or his absence causes more unrest in the country. Unfortunately, Becka’s father isn’t among the refugees released at the border, and she despairs of finding him.
Aron connects the pair with members of the Uprising who sneak them back into their homeland, including a Seraph raised by Griffins named Charm-of-Music on the Serafwenor side. She reveals that the murder of Ryandru’s grandfather, leading to the regency, had not been perpetrated by Griffins as most believed, but orchestrated by a Human who coerced them. Ryandru realizes there must be a traitor—and that perhaps his father’s death was not an accident, either. From all that he sees of the Dynamics, Ryandru becomes more troubled by the rift between them and the Humans, and Becka explains that her people teach that since the first Human king had led his people astray, another Human king could lead them back to repentance and restoration.
Charm-of-Music guides Becka and Ryandru to a tunnel that takes them to the Uprising on the Aldom side of the border, led by a pair of combative Centaurs named Murrand and Garef. In payment for the kindness, Ryandru promises to deliver their demands to the regent, who has ignored all their prior pleas, although he does not reveal who he is or how he will accomplish the feat. Becka forms a special connection with one of the rebels, Torren—the only other winged Centaur she’s ever met—who offers to guide them most of the way home.
As soon as they part ways, soldiers capture Ryandru and Becka, supposedly on the regent’s orders, and Ryandru convinces Becka that the only way to save her father now is to obtain a pardon from the regent. However, the soldiers instead take them to General Dominickolas, a traitorous lord whose conniving has caused much of the conflict between the races. When he threatens to kill Ryandru and take over the heirless kingdom, Becka reveals her Centaur form to take out his guards and help Ryandru escape. Torren comes to help them take Dominickolas prisoner and get them back to the capital.
Upon their return to the palace, Ryandru explains how Becka has saved his life repeatedly and become his closest friend, even though standing up for her defies the regent’s orders. Rather than arresting her, the regent agrees to pardon her family so they can reunite in safety. Because of her friendship with Ryandru, Becka understands the strength and beauty of who she is and can stand in her true identity, secure in herself.
Ryandru’s mother finally admits that she wouldn’t talk about his father because Captain Calvincent had found out his true nature and killed him. Since she couldn’t prove it without revealing his secret, she hid Ryandru away and hoped an alliance with the Prince of Hendom would protect him. The regent confesses that he didn’t know of the treachery of the men he trusted, Calvincent and Dominickolas, and agrees to include Ryandru in royal proceedings and training. Ryandru reconciles with his mother and the regent, and—with the insight he has gained from his relationship with Becka and journey among the rebels—resolves to become the king who will reconcile all his people.
Character List
SPOILER ALERT!
Major Characters
Becka
Becka (Carabecka) (age 15) just wants to be safe—both protected physically and secure in her identity. As a mixed-race child—half Centaur, half Seraph—her existence in a Human kingdom kept her on the fringes even before the Purge stole her home, separated her from her father, and drove her into hiding. But with her parents no longer able to protect her, she’ll fight for her family and freedom—even risking her own life.
Prince Ryandru
Prince Ryandru (Andrupert) (age 12), sole heir to the kingdom of Aldom, has grown up on an estate outside the public eye. Now that civil unrest has brought him back to the capital, his training for the throne should begin in earnest. Instead, he languishes in a library cut off from everyone until he’s desperate for a friend—and starts to suspect that he’s not intended to take the throne after all.
Miryam
Miryam (Miriamelia), Becka’s mother, hides her identity as a Seraph refugee while working in a weaving shop and desperately hoping her husband will rejoin her soon. But when the monarchy redoubles its attempts to purge all non-Humans from the land and her body can no longer sustain the Human form, she must make a terrible choice: risk her daughter’s discovery by staying, or abandoning her husband to flee the land.
Regent Tobiashton
Regent Tobiashton has shouldered the responsibility of the throne since his brother the king’s brutal murder by Griffins over twenty-five years ago. With the non-Human rebellion splitting the country and rival noble houses eyeing the empty throne, he treads a desperate path to keep his country from falling into outright civil war.
General Dominickolas
Lord Dominickolas has advised the Regent over many years. As head of Aldom’s military forces, he takes responsibility for ridding the land of the non-Humans, but his patience conceals a much more sinister agenda.
Princess Sharlisa
Princess Sharlisa, Ryandru’s mother, has shielded him from danger after her husband’s mysterious death. But her forced move back to the capital places her son back in the path of traitors with murderous intent – leaving her frantic to protect him no matter the cost to herself.
Sir Aron
Sir Aron Ishael, a wealthy Seraph from the bordering kingdom of Serafwenor, is the only person outside the palace who knows the full truth behind Ryandru’s heritage, and must guard that secret with all his heart.
Charm-of-Music
Charm-of-Music, a Seraph raised by Griffins since her abandonment as an infant, works on the Serafwenor front of Aldom’s Uprising in order to find some small justice for her Griffin-kin being framed for the assassination of Aldom’s last king.
Torren
Torren (age 16), a member of the rebellion, has never met anyone like him before until Becka, another winged Centaur. Their connection grows much deeper, such that he’ll risk his life to save her from peril.
Darven
Darven, Becka’s Centaur father, has desperately tried to reunite with his family since the Purge separated them—only to fall repeatedly into the clutches of the monarchy that is trying to expel him from the country.
Other characters (in order of appearance):
Characters in italics are referenced but not active characters in the story.
Tomason the Baker – a baker in the capital city of Alborough, whom the soldiers discover is truly a Faun instead of a Human.
Nevellroy – a friendly old guard at the capital city gate.
The Lifegiver – the Creator and sustainer of the world of Lidynama, who hears the prayers of His people and acts for their good.
Lady Gwenevera – a noblewoman descended from House Wilyan, married to Lord Brandonald, who serves as a close friend and mother figure for Princess Sharlisa.
Captain Calvincent – Captain of the City Guard and longtime friend of Regent Tobiashton, demoted from his position as Captain of Palace Guard when his crime against the royal family comes to light.
Nataleeann – Princess Sharlisa’s chief handmaiden.
Byrelin – a Faun doctor who raises goats outside of the capital city and comes to help Miryam.
Ranthalik (Randalfred) – a Minotaur posing as a Human sheep farmer from Alberston while acting as a liaison for the non-Human refugees and members of the Uprising. Miryam and Becka were counting on him to find Darven.
Galoran – a Faun fleeing through the capital to safety after Ranthalik’s arrest who joins the rebels near the Serafwenor border under Murrand’s command.
Haydennis – a farmer who supplies food to the palace.
Chelsierra – Becka’s Human childhood friend from Edgeton.
Gordunston – a palace gate guard.
Bradlevi – a palace gate guard who administers the tay test.
Peteric – a palace guard.
Chloedith – one of Princess Sharlisa’s maidservants.
Jarrodger – Ryandru’s chief bodyguard.
Master Tayloren – the assistant librarian, second in authority over the palace library.
Professor Wallaceter – Ryandru’s tutor, previously Sharlisa’s tutor.
Master Librarian – the head of the palace library, devoted to chronicling and curating the history of Aldom.
Shandre – Lord Dominickolas’ chamberlain.
Prince Elliotto – the second-born son of the King of Hendom, visiting Aldom as an ambassador to negotiate a treaty.
Lady Heleanor – Lord Dominickolas’ wife.
Lord Brandonald – a noble of the court strongly involved in commerce and Lady Gwenevera’s husband.
Mathyu (Matthugo) – Ryandru’s father and Princess Sharlisa’s husband, secretly a Seraph from Serafwenor and Aron’s best friend.
Lord Kendalton – head of House Wilyan, residing at the Windcreek estate. As Ryandru’s third cousin and closest kin, would have succeeded Tobiashton as regent if anything befell him before Ryandru came of age to take the throne, but instead Kendalton suddenly died in his forties.
Lady Ambernice – Lord Kendalton’s widow.
Sunlight-on-the-Marigold – a Pegasus healer from Serafidell.
Murrand – a Centaur heading the rebels at the outpost on the border with Serafwenor.
Garef – Torren’s Centaur father, Murrand’s second in command.
Ystella – Torren’s Seraph mother, who died in childbirth.
Historical characters referenced (in chronological order):
King Aleksandru – the founding king of Aldom, founder of House Aleksan.
King Henrian – Aleksandru’s first younger brother, who founded the kingdom of Hendom.
Lord Robertrand – Aleksandru’s second younger brother, founder of House Roberen, traditionally in charge of the military.
Lord Williambrose – Aleksandru’s third younger (the youngest) brother, founder of House Wilyan, traditionally in charge of justice and legal matters.
Prince Normanfred – a prince who made great achievements in mining and engineering.
King Stefandru – a king who made peace with the Fauns and Seraphs.
Prince Rolandon the Scholarly – a crown prince who abdicated the throne of Aldom and devoted his life to study, producing the quintessential three-volume work on insects, Insectionary.
King Jeffriedrick – Prince Rolandon’s younger brother, who assumed the throne of Aldom after his abdication.
Prince Albertrand – a crown prince who abdicated the throne of Aldom, known for designing the first ships that could sail around the continent.
King Jonashton – a king who feared Aldom’s trade disputes with Hendom would lead to war.
King Manfrederic – king of Hendom during the rule of King Jonashton of Aldom.
King Connorion – Ryandru’s great-grandfather, who drove out the Griffins from Aldom.
General Barregis – the general of the Stoneridge Army during the time of King Connorion, who was killed during the Griffin Wars; Lord Dominickolas’ father.
Captain Allanthony – a captain in the Stoneridge Army during the time of the Griffin Wars who documented the progress of the war.
King Tristandru – Ryandru’s grandfather (Sharlisa’s father, Tobiashton’s older brother), who attempted to make peace with the Dynamics and was supposedly murdered by Griffins.