Annis and Janine have been cast into Woden's Well — an ancient stone pit beneath The Fortress of Inverness from which no prisoner has ever escaped. Above them, Colonel Jamieson commands a hundred soldiers, serving a conspiracy stretching from the Highlands to the courts of England and France. His goal: kill both women and ignite a civil war.
In the darkness, the rivals uncover a truth that changes everything. They are not enemies but sisters — twin daughters of the murdered Queen Cydara, separated at birth to ensure the Highlands would always have an heir.
Beyond The Fortress walls, an unlikely alliance takes shape. An innkeeper and a butler crawl through secret tunnels. MacDonald soldiers march in borrowed uniforms and, on the black waters of Burghead Bay, a pirate in red boots is offered the bargain of a lifetime.
With spies in the chimneys, traitors at every rank, and ancient forces stirring in the night, destiny draws tight. This is no time for the timid. This is a time for heroes.
