Elizabeth Tudor is at a crossroads. Though her brother, William, has survived the smallpox, scars linger on the king's body and mind and he marches to the drumbeat of his own desires rather than his country's welfare. Wary, Elizabeth assembles her own shadow court to protect England as best she can. Meanwhile, Minuette and Dominic have married in secret, but the truth cannot stay hidden for long. Faced with betrayal by those he loved most, William's need for vengeance pushes England to the brink of civil war and in the end, Elizabeth must choose: her brother, or her country?