AD 1193.
England lies uneasy, a land without a king. Richard the Lionheart languishes in an Austrian dungeon, his brother John conspires to usurp the crown.
On the throne sits Eleanor of Aquitaine, determined to prevent the outbreak of civil war, but there are few she can trust. Justin de Quincy is one of the few. But now the king's brother has asked for de Quincy's aid. John tells of a document implicating him in a plot to kill his brother. Despite his hunger for the crown, John swears he is innocent. It takes more than John's sly charms to persuade Justin, but the welfare of Queen and Country is also at stake.
Justin must unearth the forger and prove the document false before the Lionheart hears of it. His quest will ultimately lead to the unravelling of a powerful conspiracy that could have changed the course of history.
