In 1301, fifteen-year-old Thom Wakefield stood in the northeast turret
of Chillingham Castle looking out over the landscape spread before him.
His family owns this land as far as the eye can see. As the third son of
an earl, Thom is expected to join the church. The church is not in
Thom's plans. He wants excitement, adventure, travel, not dealing with
hypocritical priests and grasping bishops. When Sir Richard of Alnwick
offers to take Thom to the Holy Lands as his squire, Thom jumps at the
chance. After arriving in deserted Ascalon on the Mediterranean Sea,
Thom finds more than he bargained for--stolen Templar jewels, rampaging
Mamluks, and, to his surprise, a new religion, one he can truly believe
in.
Years later, after converting to the Muslim faith and starting a family
in Hebron, Thom feels at home. But all is not well in the Holy Lands.
The murder of his family while he and his son were in Cairo nearly
destroys him. Seeking revenge on the Christian marauders, Thom brings
Piers back to England. On the ship from Messina to Marseilles, Piers
meets a mysterious young English nobleman. Reluctantly, Thom and Piers
travel with the boy and his entourage; there's safety in numbers in
war-torn Europe. On the way through France, Thom learns the boy is none
other than Prince Edward of Windsor, heir to the throne of England.
Keeping their religion a secret, Thom and Piers travel with Edward as
his mother, Queen Isabella, and Roger Mortimer, her lover, overthrow
King Edward II and arrange his brutal murder. Now king, young Edward III
must wrest power from his greedy mother and the manipulative Mortimer.
Thom's quest for revenge for his murdered family in Hebron softens as he
and Piers reunite with Thom's family, and they create a life for
themselves in England. However, they do not have peace for long before
young King Edward asks for their help and they, along with the
tournament-loving William Montagu, earl of Salisbury, assist young
Edward in attaining his rightful place on the throne and in English
history.
