Seneca's strength and chiseled features touch a chord deep inside Nisa Calydon, reminding her of a love long gone, of the cruel betrayal of a foolish girl's naive faith. But Nisa is all grown up now, and she has a crucial job to do. Determined to avert a potentially disastrous war, she has kidnapped the off-worlder to fulfill her responsibility. Now she would have to use Seneca's resemblance to the sworn enemy of her people to pull off a daring masquerade.