Christmas at court, and a controversial masque leaves Protestant Edward and Catholic Mary at odds. Elizabeth finds herself in the middle as Mary demands she come live with her.

The Lord Protector’s plan for peace between the siblings only causes Catherine and Thomas to accelerate their own, using Elizabeth’s 15th birthday as cover.

Having been sent away from Catherine and Thomas' household, Elizabeth is amongst strangers in the house of Kat's brother-in-law Antony Denny, and terrified of anyone finding out her secrets from Chelsea Place.

Elizabeth is determined to not fall into the same traps she did when last she was at Chelsea. While the court has been rocked by Mary’s defiance, the Lord Somerset is still more concerned with the war in Scotland.

Both Elizabeth and Somerset face the consequences of Thomas’ actions, while Mary finds that she is the only family member that the king can now trust.

There is a new Lord Protector and Mary and Elizabeth both find themselves at the mercy of the new regime and their zealous little brother.

With the king sick, court fears he will be succeeded by one of his sisters, but which sister?