Princess Anya, a snow leopardess, lives in exile after the execution of her father. She scrapes out an existence in the Shalah Mountains, her mother Iliana is dying, and she has been tasked with redeeming her ancestral lands. To free the enslaved felinius, she attempts direct usurpation. Overwhelmed by the tyrant Jamkur's demonic power, her attempt failed. With a scimitar blade poised at her throat, the Guardian Naabhi whisked her from sure death and sent her twelve thousand feet downhill. She ran into the power stream of a Xuni mage named Kedar.
She never expected Lord Kedar, an unconventional Xuni mage and Tigerian warrior, to assist her plans of retribution, to risk demon-possession, and to supercharge her love life in exotic settings. He taught her how to guide trophy hunters, how to battle Molechi assassins, and how to go behind enemy lines. Kedar taught her how to speak with snow leopards and how to roar at adversity.
Lord Kedar was plagued with a major woman problem. Oh sure, he rolled in the bed furs with plenty of felinius babes, but every potential lifemate walked out. Queen Shiloh commanded him to find his lifemate or relegate the title of Realm Champion to another. He endures the snobbery of a cute leopardess, who believes all large footed Tigerians could never survive the Cloud Mountains. Furthermore, she asserts that he never wounded Jamkur, despite the visions of Mage Seers, and he never set foot in Queen Shiloh's realm. This Xuni Mage suffers every postponement. Anya won't admit they are destined mates, and she won't say those three little words. When he brings the demon tyrant to his end, will Anya finally accept his love? Or is he forever cursed to walk Felisia alone?