Marion has had enough of charming rogue Nowandthen’s get-rich-quick schemes. After a disastrous stint in the army of the King of Autumn, all Marion wants is a steady job with nobody shooting at her—none of which tends to be in the cards when Nowandthen is around.

The trouble is that Nowandthen is the prettiest little man Marion’s ever seen. And he promises that he knows where to find a ton and a half of silver in the form of missing army payrolls. So Marion once again finds herself agreeing to Nowandthen’s plan, on one condition: if anything goes wrong, she will make him her dog, and he will do whatever she says.

When their airship crashes and strands them in the wilderness with winter coming on, Marion gives Nowandthen a collar, a leash, and an ultimatum: if he wants to keep trying to get the silver, they’re going to do it her way. She figures he’ll balk when he finds out that her way involves him crawling naked in the snow, enduring her penchant for inflicting pain, and serving as a stud for the women of the local tribes in exchange for trade goods. She isn’t prepared for how much Nowandthen seems to be enjoying himself. And it turns out that a life of adventure isn’t so bad after all, when you’ve got the right companion.