The Shroud

England, 1588. The Spanish Armada is gathering, and the Queen's court is fighting a war of its own.

Beneath Elizabeth I's throne, two secret circles of sorcerer-courtiers have sworn to protect her: the rationalist Owls and the mystical Cockerels. Now both want the same prize, the Shroud of Turin, and each is sure the other will use it to destroy England.

Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, is a war hero whose fortunes are crumbling. Both factions court him, and both claim the other is damned. As the Shroud is stolen and stolen again, old friends become liars and Hertford must decide who deserves his loyalty. Bodies begin to turn up with their eyes burned out and their hands fused in prayer.

Across the sea, King Philip II's court magician prepares a spell to call down a storm over England, and something not of this world answers it.

The Shroud is a historical fantasy of court intrigue, forbidden magic, and divided faith. It stars Raleigh, John Dee, and a queen who knows more than she lets on.