Wilkin wakes up in bed to see Jessamy watching him. They discuss his unquiet mind and Jessamy mentions Luca taking up the executioner job when he's old enough. Wilkin is vehemently against that, but Jessamy insists that it's Luca's birth right as it was Maddox's.

In her chambers, Lady Love gives Isabel a proclamation that arrived from the king and tells her to have it put up in town by the Reeve. Isabel is hesitant to do so but Love insists. Seeing Love's bad mood, Isabel invites Love along to pick berries with her. The idea cheers Love up and she agrees.

The Reeve arrives at Milus' room and knocks at the door, needing to speak with him. Before the Reeve is allowed to enter, several women including a little person and a woman carrying a cage of rats exit Milus' room (presumably from being there from the night before). Off of the Reeve's odd look, Milus tells him not to ask. The Reeve shows Milus to proclamation that arrived from the king overnight. Milus looks surprised as he reads it.

Annora is grinding something when she suddenly stops, as a thorn erupts from her hand. She pulls it out and looks at it worriedly. Her hand heals magically on its own.

Wilkin and Toran prepare to bring the stolen weapons to the rebels led by Gruffudd y Blaidd (the Wolf). Jessamy intercepts them, suspiciously asking where they are traveling to and whether there will be any familiar faces there. The two men lie about where they are going and try to reassure her but she appears unconvinced.

On their way out of the shire to deliver the weapons, Wilkin and Toran drive by Ash and Calo shoveling manure as part of their indentured servitude. They exchange uneasy glances with their friends.

The king's proclamation is posted. Jessamy asks Father Ruskin what it says and he reports that Lady Love is pregnant with the Baron's heir. Jessamy looks alarmed at the news.

Wilkin and Toran are intercepted by two of the Ventrishire knights while riding. One of them insists on going with them. They try to convince him otherwise but he insists. On the way, he hears the weapons rattling around and suspiciously goes to see what they are actually carrying. He sees the stolen weapons. He and Toran fight and Wilkin kills the knight to save Toran's life.

Toran tries to convince Wilkin to return to the castle, saying he can deliver the weapons and the knight's body on his own. Wilkin insists that he can't return to the shire without the knight, without raising suspicion. He says that they will deliver the weapons and body to the Wolf together, and then return to the shire where they'll take their revenge and then flee with their friends and Maddox's family.

Isabel and Lady Love go to pick berries. Two of the knights try to insist on going with them, but Love insists that they will be fine to go alone.

Cormac and the Archdeacon discuss their search for the Seraphim. Cormac suggests that the Archdeacon go to Castle Ventris to search there, since he might be called back to Windsor, while Cormac and his men search the wider territory. They set off.

At Annora's cave, she shows the Dark Mute the handful of bloody thorns that have erupted from her body. She tells him that "they" will begin their search at the Castle. The Mute says he will ready himself, and goes alone deeper into the cave. He presses his hand against a closet door with a cross on it.

Toran and Wilkin meet up with the Wolf and his men at the ancestral ruins. They give him the weapons and the body of the knight. The Wolf apologizes for the inconvenience they now face for having had to kill the knight. He agrees to keep them and their friends safe once they flee the shire.

Wilkin mentions the Wolf about the attack on the Baroness' caravan. The Wolf and his men insist that that wasn't their doing. The Wolf gives Wilkin his word that nothing he commands will harm the Baroness.

Isabel and the Baroness pick berries and admire the sights. The Baroness comments that she aches for adventure. At that moment, they are overtaken by a group of men who throw hoods over them and carry them off.

The Wolf takes the Baroness' hood off, commenting that she had asked for a peace talk with the Wolf. It is revealed that Gruffudd is the Baroness' half-brother, and they immediately recognize one another. They discuss that they both wish for an independent Wales, though the Baroness is insistent that that goal will not be reached by fighting but rather by peace talks. The Wolf insists that he is more legend than actual leader, and was not behind the attack on her. He asks Love for their family heirlooms so that he can fund his rebellion and create a central leadership with the aim that there is no more unsanctioned rebel violence. She agrees to consider it and leaves.

Wilkin returns home to Maddox's family to pack them up to leave. He tries to convince Jessamy to give up the charade, but she insistently still calls him her husband. He tells her they must leave because Milus knows his secret and now that he (Wilkin) has killed a knight, Milus will make examples of them all. Jessamy, still in denial, walks out. Luca offers to prepare what they need in order to flee. Wilkin reassures the boy that he will not leave him.

Toran tells Ash and Calo that Wilkin has tasked them with getting Maddox's family to safety. Once they have gotten to safety, the men will take their vengeance on Leon (the Reeve) and the four others that they know participated in the massacre.

Isabel and the Baroness rejoin their knight guard, who express worry that they took so long. Isabel and the Baroness make up a story about where they were to throw off the knights' suspicion.

The Reeve shows up at Maddox's home, asking where he is. Jessamy spots the Reeve and overhears the Reeve tell Luca that the Chamberlain needs to see "his father."

Wilkin visit Berber, where "the Moor" is working as a scribe in the castle. Wilkin tells him that they must leave because of his murder of the knight. Berber reluctantly agrees.

Annora goes to see Father Ruskin and shows him the pile of thorns. She tells him that they are an omen, warning of an incoming danger. He doesn't believe her and tells her it's not wise to show her pagan nature. He sees another thorn erupt from Annora's chest and her instantaneous healing. She tells him that he'll know the danger when he sees it and that God will guide him to the task.

Jessamy goes to speak with Milus in the castle, having been brought there by the Reeve.

Milus delivers a note from Baron Pryce to the Baroness, which says that a rebel in their shire was responsible for the murder of Pryce's wife. The note also claims that the man's attack was ordered by the Wolf. This clearly bothers Lady Love. Milus and Lady Love are interrupted by Isabel, who tells them that the Archdeacon has arrived.

Toran and Wilkin discuss the plan. Luca runs up to them and tells Wilkin he must flee because the men are waiting for him. Suddenly, several of Milus' men come up and intercept Toran and Wilkin and take them back to the Chamberlain in the castle.

The Archdeacon, having arrived with his man Absalom, tells Ruskin, Lady Love and Milus that he is there for an accounting, and also to meet their congregation. Milus leaves to go death with his "personal matter." The Baroness tells the Archdeacon that they've set up the guest chambers for him, and Ruskin tells Absalom that Ruskin has made room for him in his own chambers.

The Reeve asks Milus what Jessamy wanted to speak with him about. Milus lies, saying it was a marital matter, and sends the Reeve away.

Alone with Wilkin and Toran, Milus tells him that he knows who they all are and that they are at the shire for vengeance on the men who killed their families. He makes them a proposition: he will keep their secret if they all agree to be his soldiers and work above the law, under his charge. He will also allow them to torture/kill one of the knights who was responsible for the massacre of their families, and cover up that murder and the murder of the knight who accompanied them on their trip to deliver the weapons. He orders them not to harm the Reeve or any of the other knights. Milus leaves.

Wilkin and Toran chain the knight up in the torture chamber. Wilkin leaves to gather Ash, Calo and Berber.

Lady Love goes to the family crypt to retrieve the heirloom to give to her half-brother Gruffudd. She tells him about the report that the man who confessed to Baroness Pryce's murder was under his command. He assures her that it wasn't him who ordered that attack. They wonder why someone would confess and face death for something he didn't do. She gives him the heirloom for a strong foundation to build his army, and they go separate ways.

The companion of the Archdeacon unpacks his things as Father Ruskin watches him and pulls the thorn that Annora gave him from his pocket.

Wilkin, along with Ash, Berber and Calo return to the torture chamber to find Toran torturing the knight that Milus delivered to them. They try to stop him, but Toran tells them the names the knight divulged for who killed their family, including who killed his son. He continues torturing the man until he gets the name of the man who killed his wife. Toran walks away at that point, leaving Wilkin to mercy-kill the grievously wounded man.

Annora prays under her breath before the sign of the Seraphim. The Dark Mute opens his closet revealing the body armor and weaponry of a knight.

Wilkin sits in a store room, morosely considering what's happened, as Lady Love comes upon him. They talk and she can see that he is sad. She tries to comfort him. He tells her that she is kind to him and beautiful. He apologizes to her and turns to leave but she stops him. She tells him she had a vision of the birth of a boy when she touched his wound days earlier, and says she sensed he saw it too. He denies it and leaves her there alone.