When a dangerous foe turns the tables on the clan, complicating the Kra-ell rescue operation in unforeseeable ways, Kian and his crew bet all on a brilliant misdirection.On board the Aurora, Phinas and Jade brace for battle while enjoying a few stolen moments of passion.Drawn to the woman he sees behind the aloof leader, Phinas realizes that what has started as a calculated political move has evolved into a deepening sense of companionship.Jade finds reprieve in Phinas’s arms, but duty and tradition make it difficult for her to accept that what she feels for him is more than just gratitude and desire.After all, the Kra-ell don’t believe in love.