Who can you trust when you are the key to what everyone wants? Allakoi Meras only wants one thing: to journey south and flee from the conflict that consumes the north. So long as he keeps his head down and avoids notice until spring, his escape from a society that actively hates him will be successful. Fate, however, has other plans for him. When an encounter with a psychopathic dragon leads to a rare and dangerous power awakening within him, Allakoi suddenly finds himself targeted by all entities involved in a centuries-long war-entities that are willing to do anything to have him under their control. Surrounded on all sides and not knowing who he can trust, Allakoi finds himself faced with a terrible choice... Either choose a master to be enslaved to, or risk everything in pursuit of his freedom. Before the Sky Breaks is the first book in The Shattered Pulse , an adult epic fantasy series that pulls on the atmosphere and tropes of classic fantasy while giving them a dark, modern twist. Great for fans of The Wheel of Time, The Licanius trilogy, and The First Law.