It was inevitable that the new king would be very different from his father. What no one could foresee was where his penchant for action would lead. It was equally inevitable that Alfred’s brother, John, would do something outrageous. What no one would have predicted is just how far he would exceed the bounds of royal decorum.

At a time when the world is changing faster than anyone expected, Alfred must try to create a role for himself that lives up to his grandfather’s vision of his destiny. And Ralf is still out there, knowing that his plan for Alfred’s death has failed and that vengeance for his father has yet to be achieved.