Bebbanburg's cruel usurper Lord Aelfric loses half his men in a battle with Viking pirates (slave-)raiding from Scotland. Uhtred's spies Finan and Osferth return to Coccham and tell him the attacks weakened him enough to be overthrown, striking Bebbanburg fortress before the Scots return and Aelfric can rebuild his his depleted forces, but king Edward denies support. Father Beocca and Uhtred's son Young Uhtred, a cleric, are willing respectively unwilling accomplices. Haesten sees that Cnut is moving his men from East Anglia, presumably to Ireland, and tells Eardwulf, now commander of the royal Mercian guard, who informs king Aethelfled, who sees this as an opportunity to conquer East Anglia. To increase his chances of success, he sends monks to Bebbanburg to buy St. Oswald's heart, a holy relic, from Aelfric. Young Uhtred joins the monks as camouflage to gain entry to Bebbanburg. King Edward increasingly depends on Aethelhelm, who tells him of Cnut's move to Ireland, still orders the...