The snow hasn't even attempted to thaw when Ian's life is turned upside down. His only sister is murdered, leaving him as the sole family to his 14 year-old niece. As an uncle, he'd been there for them, but he is clueless when it comes to actually seeing to Terra's wellbeing. Muddling through, they become closer, healing together through the trauma, and slowly begin to feel like family.
Ian has a deep secret though. Not even Terra's mother knew, and when Caleb is the officer to deliver a freezing and terrified niece to his door, that secret is in jeopardy of being blown sky-high.