A National Book Award nominee! Returning to the same era of his "In a Dark Wood", Cadnum's majestic novel—part mystery, part history—chronicles the pageantry and brutality of the Crusades under King Richard. Edmund, a young apprentice, is awaiting punishment as a counterfeiter when a knight intervenes on his behalf—and compels Edmund to join Richard Lionheart's forces in the Holy Land. There, amidst the savagery of the twelfth-century Crusades, Edmund learns both courage and compassion, and discovers that cruelty is sometimes considered the will of Heaven. Set in medieval England and the war-torn shores of the Middle East, Cadnum's tale weaves together a rich tapestry of storms at sea, the brutality of hand-to-hand combat, and one of the classic horse and lance battles in recorded history—the Battle of Arsuf.

Ragged and exhausted from fighting in the Crusades, Hubert, a knight's squire, and his fellow crusaders board a ship bound for England. But the return home is neither quick nor easy. Hubert must use his sword against ships full of attacking infidels, and he is nearly slain at the hand of a vengeful knight. A shipwreck strands them in Rome, where the beautiful and brave Lady Galena nearly tempts him to stay. Instead, loyalty to his master prevails and they finally reach their beloved land-only to find that one of their group faces execution when he steps ashore. If Hubert is to save his friend's life, he must first save his own.

Newly made knights, Edmund and Herbert, have looked forward to returning home to England from their perilous journeys, only to discover that Prince John has yet another mission for them that holds even greater dangers as they escort two women on a perilous trek over the Alps in order to reach their final destination of Rome.