For three months Tormond Castle has prevailed against Wilbraham Kinnear's siege, but now food is scarce and there's still no sign of reinforcements. Worse, Prince Vortigern doesn't care about the plight of his embattled people and he dines and celebrates as if nothing is amiss.

Commander Gideon Copeland must end the siege while he still has time to act, but he faces an impossible dilemma. He must choose between a battle of strength with Wilbraham outside the castle that will result in his death, and a battle of wills with Vortigern inside the castle that will result in his execution for treason.

So, with the situation growing desperate, Gideon must make the toughest decision of his life.