A pawn in the game of 11th century power politics, Gwaina finds her own desires overlooked in her role as heir to Cornwall. Torn between the need to seize control of her own fate and desire for the one man she believes strong enough to rule alongside her, Gwaina tests the limitations of her female nature. Yet, in choosing the wrong partner, Gwaina faces losing everything, even her own identity ... until she meets her husband's cousin, Mac Bethadh, a seasoned warrior with his own dynastic ambtions ...