Perim rules the Koldar with a cold heart and distant hand. His people are proud and view the rest of the galaxy as little more than chattel. When he's forced to save a human slave, he has no idea of what to do with this pale and odd-looking creature. Kate is hard-headed, stubborn and unbreakable, or so she'd like everyone to think. When the ship she's on crashes on an alien planet and the Sotul's slaves run away, it's up to her to look after the injured alien. So she'll do it. She'll look after the purple, horned and arrogant leader. But in exchange when they're rescued, he'll free her. As time passes and Perim grows to admire the guts and tenacity of the human, the idea of freeing her becomes harder to swallow. But how can he keep her, knowing the struggles she will face should he choose to make her his Sotala?