Lucia's father is slain before her eyes. Her keep is overrun by wolves' heads. Desperate to protect what remains of her homelands, she flees to a neighboring keep to plead for support. She nearly reaches safety when a vicious ambush leaves her near death. Stephen, foster son of Lord Edmund, shepherds the valiant swordswoman through her hallucinations and fevers. As she heals, he finds himself drawn to her strength, her honor, and her courage...