A tragic loss leads to inexplicable love…

While serving the Ghosts, Lila Carlisle and Lance Criswell fall in love with each other. Lila is the first officer of Brendan Faulkner’s ship, The Vanguard, while Lance and his brothers, Caleb and Kalen, fly missions aboard their own private vessel.

A run with Bren ends in his narrow escape, but Lila’s capture. Lance is beside himself. The Criswell brothers blow off Brendan’s command to stay behind in order to go in search of Lila. Sterling, the eldest of the brothers, is furious. He’s never approved of Lila, and his brothers’ rash behavior at her disappearance aggravates his temper.

The Criswells rescue Lila, but when they stop to fuel up their ship, they are caught in a showdown with Zeniths and Zephyrs. It’s a grisly battle which ends poorly for all involved. Lila is the sole survivor. Sterling struggles through his anger and resentment, but he slowly begins to find forgiveness and eventually, love. He helps Lila walk the path toward forgiveness as well.