The Lost Heir by Tui T. Sutherland Summary

The Lost Heir by Tui T. Sutherland is the second book in the Wings of Fire series, following the SeaWing dragonet Tsunami as she returns to her underwater kingdom. After escaping from the SkyWings, Tsunami reunites with her mother, Queen Coral, only to discover a deadly mystery: someone has been systematically killing the queen's heirs for years. Tsunami must protect her unborn sister while uncovering the assassin's identity.

Tui T. Sutherland is a Venezuelan-American children's book author born on July 31, 1978, in Caracas, Venezuela. Named after the tūī, a bird native to New Zealand, she has written over 50 books for children and teens. Before becoming a full-time author, Sutherland worked as an editor at Penguin and HarperCollins, and contributed to bestselling series like Warriors and Seekers under the pen name Erin Hunter.

The Lost Heir is ideal for middle-grade and young adult readers who enjoy fantasy adventure with dragon protagonists. Fans of the first Wings of Fire book will appreciate continuing the dragonets' journey, while newcomers drawn to underwater kingdoms, royal mysteries, and strong female leads will find Tsunami's story compelling. However, parents should note the content warnings for death and graphic violence.

The Lost Heir is worth reading for its unique murder mystery twist and strong character development, particularly Tsunami's growth throughout the story. While some readers note that the other four dragonets spend much of the book imprisoned and off-page, the book excels at world-building within the SeaWing kingdom and introduces the Aquatic language. The mystery surrounding the royal egg deaths keeps readers engaged with surprising revelations.

In The Lost Heir, Tsunami and the dragonets flee to the SeaWing kingdom where she meets Queen Coral, her birth mother. When another royal egg dies mysteriously, Tsunami volunteers to guard the last remaining egg. The dragonets face imprisonment by hostile SeaWings, Tsunami battles an enchanted statue that comes to life, and she ultimately discovers that Whirlpool, the queen's favorite teacher, is the assassin. The book ends with the dragonets imprisoned by Queen Blister.

Aquatic is the SeaWing language featured in The Lost Heir that uses bioluminescent light patterns for underwater communication. Tsunami struggles because Webs, her guardian, never taught her this essential language, leaving her unable to communicate with other SeaWings initially. This language barrier creates tension and highlights Tsunami's disconnect from her birth culture despite being a SeaWing princess, adding depth to her identity journey throughout the story.

Tsunami is the SeaWing dragonet narrator and protagonist of The Lost Heir, stolen as an egg from the Royal Hatchery and raised by the Talons of Peace. She is one of the five dragonets of prophecy and Queen Coral's daughter, making her a SeaWing princess. Throughout the book, Tsunami struggles with trauma from killing Gill in the SkyWing arena, fears her friends are ostracizing her, and desperately seeks acceptance from her birth family.

The central mystery in The Lost Heir revolves around who has been systematically killing Queen Coral's royal heirs over the years. Tsunami discovers that only she and her sister Anemone have survived from dozens of eggs. The mystery features unique twists, with suspects that all make logical sense. Ultimately, Tsunami uncovers that an enchanted statue created by the deceased Princess Orca was programmed to kill future heirs, and Whirlpool orchestrated additional attempts.

Anemone is Tsunami's younger sister and Queen Coral's only other surviving daughter in The Lost Heir. She possesses animus magic, a rare ability to enchant objects with special powers. Despite being kept under constant surveillance by her overprotective mother, Anemone demonstrates her power and loyalty by helping the dragonets escape their prison using an enchanted spear to identify the true assassin. Her magical abilities become crucial to solving the mystery.

Queen Blister is one of three SandWing queens vying for the throne and appears as a manipulative antagonist in The Lost Heir. Allied with the SeaWings, she pressures the dragonets to support her claim and shows disgust when they refuse. Tsunami and Starflight discover Blister's involvement in Kestrel's murder, revealing her ruthless nature. By the book's end, Blister convinces Queen Coral to imprison the dragonets "for their protection," establishing her as a formidable threat.

The Lost Heir continues directly where The Dragonet Prophecy ends, shifting focus from Clay to Tsunami as narrator. While The Dragonet Prophecy introduced the five dragonets and their escape from captivity, The Lost Heir dives deeper into SeaWing culture, underwater kingdoms, and royal politics. Some readers find the violence more purposeful and character-driven in The Lost Heir, though the separation of the dragonets through imprisonment is noticeable.

The Lost Heir explores themes of family expectations versus reality, as Tsunami discovers her birth family isn't the welcoming sanctuary she imagined. Identity and belonging surface through Tsunami's struggle with not knowing Aquatic and feeling disconnected from SeaWing culture. The book also examines leadership and persuasion—Tsunami learns to use diplomacy rather than force when freeing her imprisoned friends, winning support from commoner SeaWings. Protection, loyalty, and the costs of war underscore the narrative throughout.