Inara spent two hundred years as a devoted shadow to her mother, sacrificing everything to do what was best for their family. She cared for her mother dearly, but love and hate aren't opposites. Sometimes the difference between them is thinner than the edge of a blade.

When the love of Inara's life finally appears, it's as glorious as she imagined it would be. But a single mistake made long ago can have far-reaching consequences. Even though she wants to do the right thing, Inara's options shrink more with each passing day. Can she rectify her one misstep, or will it drive her off the side of a cliff from which there is no return?