He had thought he would never experience the Knowing. All he needed was the right woman. After suffering a traumatic injury as a child, Dawn has lived a sheltered life under the shadow of tragedy. Despite her passion for botany, neither her family nor her limitations ever allowed her to pursue her dreams...until the day she encounters the Preor and they need help only she can provide. Vende has grown weary. Weary of overseeing the engineering infrastructure for the Preor Third Fleet, weary of watching as his fellow warriors find their mates, and—after several failed Choosings—weary of trying to find his own. It's time he face facts and resign himself to the life of a solitary warrior. Then he meets Dawn and finally understands the full power of the Knowing. Desire. Love. Need. But destiny can be cruel to those it sidelines. With the fate of the Preor hanging in the balance, Vende and Dawn must face seemingly insurmountable odds to find their happily ever after—not to mention save the warrior race from extinction. Will it be enough? Or will Dawn and Vende lose their love before it has a chance to fully blossom?