AD 1193. England lies uneasy, a land without a king. Richard the Lionheart has not returned from Crusade, his brother John conspires to usurp the crown. On the throne, in the Lionheart's stead, sits Eleanor of Aquitaine. She is determined to prevent the outbreak of civil war, but there are few she can trust. Justin de Quincy - a man without title or land - is one of the few.

July: The Lionheart languishes in an Austrian dungeon, held for ransom by the Holy Roman Emperor. While his younger brother John plots with with England's bitterest foe, King Philippe of France to ensure that he rots and dies in chains, Eleanor ransacks England for gold to buy his freedom.

When one of the ransom payments vanishes in the fastnesses of Wales, Eleanor sends Justin de Quincy into a maelstrom a intrigue if not outright rebellion, De Quincy's devotion to the queen will be supremely tested as he crosses the border to be met with false smiles and deadly conspiracies. The queen's treasure is ellusive, but danger is everywhere...