Future Canada is divided into different countries - the Commonweath and the Western States are at war with Quebec. Hellene Ariadne, daughter of the head researcher and chief of security of Hydra Corp, was evacuated to neutral Victoria, despite being older than most evacuees. When she suspects that something has happened to her parents, she runs away home, but finds her mother has been branded a traitor. With the help of Joss Liddell, the Prince of Saskachewan's equerry, she needs to find out exactly what is happening and do her part to stop the war.
A very light romantic science fiction novel, which I do enjoy becuase it is such.

This is a decent enough science fiction story, about espionage and suspense in the midst of a future war between Quebec and the Western States, with laser rays from overhead satellites a constant threat. But I've decided that Connie Willis is not really well-served by her collaborations. The book is simplistic in theme and writing compared to her solo novels, and seems directed toward the high-school age reader. Still, it's a passably good story, even if Willis did just give the story theme to Cynthia Felice to flesh out, as I suspect. ( )