Three generations ago wooded Celosia Island burned in a fire storm. Now the government keeps the island safe through limited trade and rare immigration. So it is unsettling to Princess Amaryllis Filippopoulos to learn her father has invited an off-island prince into residence to translate some ancient scrolls and to marry her his youngest daughter and heir to the throne. Prince Valryan Molan has been sent to present to the people of Celosia the reality of the King even though He is not readily perceived by the five senses or logic the Stoic beliefs of Celosia's ancestors. Valryan finds his mission hampered by his bride's reluctance to marry and the immediate need to protect the people from illegal fire weapons. But none of that compares to the unexpected fire storm Amaryllis ignites in his heart.
