Protection is safety. Until it stifles. After months of clandestine battles, the Brothers of the Medici Protectorate finally know who is responsible for the assassination attempts on the Notaro family, the secret descendants of the Medici line. And they've never faced such a formidable foe. Roberto Cozza--Coz--faces this new reality with surprising pragmatism. His powers may make the difference in winning their covert war--if only he can master them in time. It would just be so much easier if he could get his emotions under control, but neither his Brothers nor their charges are making things easy on him. Toni Notaro appreciates the security provided by the Brothers, but she knows she has her own role to play--and it terrifies her. She is the missing link in Coz mastering his emerging abilities, yet she struggles to bridge the gap between what he needs and what she can offer. As the Brotherhood hurtles inexorably toward the climactic final showdown, Coz and Toni must find the strength within themselves and each other to master the secrets of his powers, or risk death and defeat for all they hold dear.