1197 A.D. Sir Garren le Mon is an agent for Richard the Lion Heart in the political war against his brother, John. Under the command of William Marshall, Chancellor of England, Garren is the king's most trusted and loyal servant. When Garren is ordered to marry into a family deeply loyal to Prince John, the knight is understandably reluctant; the House of de Rosa is infamous for its bloodlust and bizarre characters. Upon meeting the Lady Derica de Rosa, however, Garren thinks perhaps that the marriage may not be all that unpalatable. Derica is beautiful and humorous, and Garren is smitten. Upon the eve of the betrothal, however, Garren's identity as a spy is discovered and he is set upon by the de Rosa's. With Derica's help, he escapes execution and together the two of them begin an enormous trek across England and Wales to flee her pursuing family. When William Marshall discovers that Garren has deviated from his orders, he too goes in pursuit of him, undermining Garren's trust with a friend he has known since childhood. Duty soon separates them and Garren stages his own death in battle in order to free himself of William Marshall's directives. But news of his death gets back to Derica, who finds herself a pawn between her family and William Marshall as she grieves for the man she loved and now has lost. It is a race against time for Garren to return to his wife before she is forced to marry another, all in the name of politics.

1197 A.D. - Smarting from the loss of his betrothed, Sir Keller de Poyer has learned not to trust women. A bear of a man with a brilliant mind, Keller is socially awkward but an accomplished knight. He is so accomplished in fact that his liege, William Marshal, gifts the man with lands in Wales for his meritorious service. But there is a catch - in order to secure the lands and titles, he must marry the Welsh heiress. And so begins the journey into the Netherworld - a castle with a dark reputation and an heiress who hides her own terrible secrets. Death lives at Nether and Keller is caught in the maelstrom. Can he save his new wife from danger and betrayal before it's too late?