Zia might be a small, deaf human, but she's no one to mess with. When she falls in with the Talins, everyone is in for a surprise. Born deaf, Zia Higgs never let that stop her from going after what she wanted. After growing up poverty stricken, she found a good-paying job with a scrap trawler that allowed her to send money home and also save for new implants. When a confused and hurt Talin named Palforma was brought on board the trawler by accident, her first thought was the same as all her crewmates: Give this giant plenty of space. But when he attached himself to her and refused to let go, she realized things might get more complicated than she previously suspected. Under threat from her captain, she left her job as a scrapper when Palforma persuaded her to come with him to a Talin station. She thought they were forging a partnership, so she didn't expect to find herself wearing a collar and embroiled in some kind of Talin political conspiracy and insurrection. Never one to give up, Zia fought like hell against this new captivity. The problem was part of her wanted Palforma, even though his entire civilization had decided her only value was as a pet. If they survived, could they be together as equals instead of human pet and Talin owner? Although it's part of a larger series arc, this novel can be read as a standalone and has an HEA. Please note that when single italics ( ' ) are used it means Zia or someone else is using the silent tapping language of the Norka. Some action scenes contain descriptions of violence and fighting. This book is meant for mature audiences of eighteen or older only.