Dragonclaw (The Witches of Eileanan #1) by Kate Forsyth

MEGHAN LOOKED DIRECTLY INTO THE DRAGON'S TOPAZ EYES FOR THE FIRST TIME. . .SHE HAD A SENSATION OF TIME ROLLING AWAY, VAST VISTAS OF YEARS, THE SWING OF PLANETS AND STARS. SUNSETS BLOOMED ABOVE HER HEAD, CLOUDS RACED AWAY, THE WORLD SPUN ON ITS AXIS AND THE DRAGON'S EYES GLITTERED COLD...

SINCE THE DAY OF RECKONING WITCHES AND MAGIC HAS BEEN OUTLAWED ON EILEANAN. THE GREAT TOWERS, ONCE CENTRES OF LEARNING, ARE NOW ABANDONED RUINS. THE PENALTY FOR PRACTISING WITCHCRAFT IS DEATH.

IN A HIDDEN VALLEY DEEP IN THE MOUNTAINS, IN THE SHADOW OF THE PEAK OF DRAGONCLAW, ISABEAU THE FOUNDLING GROWS TO WOMAN HOOD IN THE CARE OF MEGHAN, AN OLD WOOD WITCH. BUT ISABEAU'S DESTINY LIES OUTSIDE THE VALLEY: SHE MUST SET OUT ON A PERILOUS QUEST CARRYING THE LAST HOPES OF THE PERSECUTED WITCHES.

MEANWHILE THE SEA-DWELLING FAIRGEAN STIR, CHILDREN VANISH IN THE NIGHT, AND ISABEAU'S GUARDIAN CLIMBS DRAGONCLAW TO SEEK GUIDANCE FROM THE MOST ANCIENT AND DANGEROUS WISDOM IN THE LAND. . . 

A GRIPPING AND BRILLIANTLY IMAGINED STORY OF WITCHES, ENCHANTMENT, MAGICAL CREATURES AND DARK MYSTERIES IN THE TRADITION OF ANNE MCCAFFREY AND MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY.

Genres: Fantasy - Witches - Magic - Dragons - High Fantasy - Epic Fantasy - Science Fiction Fantasy - Australian Author