Brendan Prescott, an orphan, is reared in the household of the powerful Dudley family. Brought to court, Brendan is soon compelled to work as a double agent by Princess Elizabeth's protector, William Cecil—who promises in exchange to help him unravel the secret of his own mysterious past. With only a stable boy and Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting at his side, Brendan plunges into a ruthless gambit of half-truths, lies, and murder.