Sir Thomas' son, Armus, returns from 8 years at the Crusades and the Greys journey to the Duke of Arondale's castle to pay their taxes, but there they are attacked by a group of bandits and held hostage along with Mullens and his daughter.

Armus helps his old friend Humphrey, now a petty thief, stop an assassination attempt. Meanwhile Cedric runs into problems at a convent while recuperating from a snakebite, and Sir Thomas must entertain Elizabeth's boring son and daughter at the castle.