"Malta, 1565. A vital outpost stands between the divided nations of Europe and the relentless expansion of the Ottoman Empire. As a decisive battle rages, a veteran soldier fights for the existence of the Knights of the Order of St John and the Christian world ... Faced with ferocious enemy attack, the Knights must summon all their strength if they are to escape annihilation. Amongst those returning to Malta is Sir Thomas Barrett, exiled in disgrace decades before. Loyalty and instinct compel him to put the survival of his men and the Order above all other concerns, yet his allegiance is divided. On Queen Elizabeth's orders, he must retrieve a hidden scroll concealed on the island, which threatens her reign. As Sir Thomas confronts the past that cost him his honour and a secret that has long lain buried, the Ottoman horde lands and lays siege to the defenders. Vastly outnumbered and with no sign of the help promised by distant kings, the Knights and their Maltese allies know that the future of the Order's faith, and of the western world, hangs in the balance ..."--Provided by publisher.