King Edward II is furious when he learns that his wife Queen Isabella has defied him and remains in France with their son. As the unfortunate messengers of this unhappy news, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and his friend, bailiff Simon Puttock, are instantly dismissed from court. Returning to their homes in Devon, the pair are shocked to find that outlaws now hold sway in the land. As the chaos escalates, the bodies of two clerics are found among a party of travelers, all of them—men, women, and children—savagely murdered. Baldwin and Simon are called to investigate, but when they discover the culprit is a friend of the king, they become wary about accusations of treason. Until, that is, Simon's own daughter suddenly disappears.