Convinced that the prizes in his long game—the riches of Aleffe Province and King Denis's great port on the Southern Sea—are now within his grasp, the Teuton king has finally shown his cards. He's confident Denis's youth and inexperience mean he'll be no match for the might of the Teuton army, especially if he can be isolated. To that end, the Teuton has already taken steps to prevent Denis's ally in the south from joining the fray. All that's left is to neutralize Alfred—and the Teuton is certain he's found the perfect way to do that.

Refusing to be lured into a false choice, Alfred must nonetheless defend his realm. But as the number of lives lost in the conflict continues to mount, he finds himself troubled by the senselessness of the sacrifices brought on by one man's ambition. And he faces excruciating decisions about how to preserve his legacy and how to end the bloodshed.

Will the Teuton king's strategy turn out to be brilliant or a serious miscalculation?