Synopsis

In 1301, fifteen-year-old Thom Wakefield stood in the northeast turret of Chillingham Castle looking out over the landscape spread before him. His family owns this land as far as the eye can see. As the third son of an earl, Thom is expected to join the church. The church is not in Thom’s plans. He wants excitement, adventure, travel, not dealing with hypocritical priests and grasping bishops. When Sir Richard of Alnwick offers to take Thom to the Holy Lands as his squire, Thom jumps at the chance. After arriving in deserted Ascalon on the Mediterranean Sea, Thom finds more than he bargained for—stolen Templar jewels, rampaging Mamluks, and, to his surprise, a new religion, one he can truly believe in. Years later, after converting to the Muslim faith and starting a family in Hebron, Thom feels at home. But all is not well in the Holy Lands. The murder of his family while he and his son are in Cairo nearly destroys him. Seeking revenge on the Christian marauders, Thom brings Peter back to England. On the ship from Messina to Marseilles, Peter meets a mysterious young English nobleman. Reluctantly, Thom and Peter travel with the boy and his entourage; there’s safety in numbers in war-torn Europe. On the way through France, Thom learns the boy is none other than Prince Edward of Windsor, heir to the throne of England. Keeping their religion a secret, Thom and Peter travel with Edward as his mother, Queen Isabella, and Roger Mortimer, her lover, overthrow King Edward II and arrange his brutal murder. Now king, young Edward III must wrest power from his greedy mother and the manipulative Mortimer. Thom’s quest for revenge for his murdered family in Hebron softens as he and Petr reunite with Thom’s family, and they create a life for themselves in England. However, they do not have peace for long before young King Edward asks for their help and they, along with the tournament-loving William Montagu, earl of Salisbury, assist young Edward in attaining his rightful place on the throne and in English history.

About The Author

Catherine Akel holds a Ph.D. in medieval literature from Stony Brook University and studied medieval history at Cambridge University, England.  Her dissertation was on the early fifteenth century The Book of Margery Kempe and her master’s thesis on the late fourteenth century Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.  She has published articles on The Book of Margery Kempe, the tales of Robin Hood, and other medieval pieces, including a series of articles published online on The Game of Thrones.  She has been presenting at medieval and literature conferences for over twenty-five years, including the prestigious International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds, England, and the International Medieval Congress in Kalamazoo, MI.