The Kings of the Red Shell have kept the Kergulenite Stones safe and dormant for three hundred years, but now the powerful Stones are being stolen one by one. King Mihn calls on the Kergulenites to track the Stones, hoping they will intuit the magic the way their ancestors did, and in the process find his temperamental daughter.In turn, the Kergulenites call on Rima, an escaped slave with half a dozen extraordinary senses. Rima's life ambition is to find freedom and start a family, but her fate and personal plans have once again diverged. She finds herself immersed in Trantian culture, where women are prized more for physical attributes than for their innate worth. With talents of almost limitless potential, Rima could be critical to the Kergulenites' quest, but most Trantians prefer that she stick to cooking.The mysterious thief clearly has aspirations of world domination, and he may have the resources, as well. Will he add Rima to his list of assets, or will her companions succeed in their mission? Most likely, neither of the above. But one thing is sure-Rima will find out just how brave she really is.