Lithe beauty Tedra De Arr has dedicated her life to the art of combat, and no one, least of all a man, has ever been able to pierce through that rigid armor of single-minded purpose. Then political upheaval forces the elite bodyguard to flee her home, and the fiercely independent maiden finds that her only refuge is in the arms of a bronzed barbarian. In a society where warriors rule supreme, Challen Ly-San-Ter is the strongest and the most powerful. He claims Tedra as tradition and his own desires demand, but though he ignites her uninitiated passions, the proud fighter will not allow anyone dominance over her. Challenging him to physical battle, she also dares him to discover that she is a worthy partner, and together they can conquer all realms.