When the penitentiary ship she's incarcerated in crashes onto an alien planet, Kira and a handful of survivors find refuge in The City in the Caldera alongside its Fire Valos inhabitants. But the sadistic experiments performed on her by the prison's scientist make the heat intolerable for her. When the opportunity to go to the frozen city of E'Lek presents itself, Kira believes she'll finally be at peace. But her first encounter with the Northern Valos doesn't go as planned.

Duke is confused by the strange human female. Like him, she's cold, made for the icy lands of the Northern Valos. Her resemblance with the Creators and questionable friendship with a human hated by his people raises their collective suspicions. Yet, only she could save their lost tribes condemned to an eternal slumber. As his heartstone warms for her, Duke is determined to prove to the rest of the tribe that beneath her frozen exterior hides a compassionate female. His female.