The Perigord of sixteenth-century France is a wild region-its steep, forested valleys roamed by bands ofbrigands and gypsies, its communities divided by conflict between Catholics and converts to the new Protestant faith.

To this beautiful but dangerous country come two veterans of the French king's wars, Jean de Siorac and Jean de Sauveterre: The Brethren-as fiercely loyal to the crown as they are to their Huguenot religion. But they are far from secure-religious civil war looms on the horizon,famine and plague stalk the land, and The Brethren must use all their wits to protect those they love from the chaos that threatens to sweep them away.