Far from Paris, in lonely provinces and silent convents, plots and passions quietly build. Diane de Fargas and her brother hide secrets behind noble smiles, while the Companions of Jehu recruit new blood in the name of vengeance. The Chartreuse of Seillon becomes a hiding place for faith and rebellion. Love letters disguise orders; hunting trips hide assassination plans. Meanwhile, Bonaparte's frown spreads across dispatches, sensing unrest not just from enemies, but from old friends. The guillotine no longer hangs above kings, but creeps toward men of ideals. Those who once led from the shadows now find the shadows closing in.
