Joanna Sansone returns home following her civilian deployment in Iraq as a political advisor. A disfigured left forearm and the loss of her fiance, Renzo Moretti, are the scars she carries from the experience. Now, she asks for nothing more than the peace of her new home, Quintessence, but the U.S. government has other ideas. A large defense contractor calls on her services. A new English language training facility in northern Virginia's horse country needs a registrar. Then, one of the students, the son of an important tribal sheikh, becomes seriously ill. Mick Riliuni is a brilliant physician renowned for his work in tropical diseases and the student's family engages to consult on the case. When he meets Joanna, he accuses her of prejudice when she questions the need for the expertise of the student's mysterious uncle. The arrogant Doctor al-Najid is a painful reminder of her losses and an irritating presence in her life. Caught in the crossfire between two strong personalities, Joanna's passions reawaken, but she has questions. A trip to a mountain fortress in Sicily may yield the answers. Will they give her a future or will her heart remain buried in the grave with Renzo?"