Hildegard of Bingen, a young, 12th-century German girl, has been born with a gift: a remarkable ability to see beyond this earthly realm. Her gift, however, can also prove a burden, especially when her vision helps her witness the vicious murder of a monk on the grounds of the monastery at Disibodenberg. When the monastery's peace is further shattered by a second grisly murder, Hildegard seeks the help of Volmar, her trusted scribe. Volmar uncovers a treacherous plot to seize the Spear of Destiny—a holy relic rumored to bear a curse that haunts anyone who tries to wield its power for his own purposes. It isn't long before Hildegard and Volmar are cast into a web of violence and intrigue spawned by the greed of power-hungry noblemen, deceitful clerics, and the ambitions of a secret society sworn to protect the warriors of the Crusades.