For Aideen MacBride, nothing compares to the anguish of losing her sisters. Guarding a secret whose revelation could cost her her life, she feels responsible for the safety of her middle sister, who is about to marry the crown prince of the Highland clans. This prince is a valiant and fearless warrior whose thirst for combat keeps him alive. The union between these two powerful clans promises to put an end to a prolonged civil war raging on the country's borders, but it also unleashes intrigue and betrayal. Aideen is resigned to the fate of becoming a disposable piece in the political game the moment her sister accepts Alistair MacCalister as her husband. Desperate to escape the manipulative influence of her ambitious mother, who considers her nothing more than a nuisance, Aideen decides to run away. However, fate is ironic, and she finds herself exactly where she never wanted to be: in the arms of the merciless warrior.