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In twelfth-century England, St. Jude's Abbey is no ordinary sanctuary of prayer and ritual. Established by Eleanor of Aquitaine, it trains young women in the knightly arts. In times of trouble, these formidable women are called upon to protect the royal family and England.
Isabella de Montfort's talents lie not in the knightly arts, but in science. So she's surprised when Queen Eleanor assigns her the task of retrieving some incriminating papers that could destroy the prince and start a brutal war.

To help Isabella on her journey, the abbess of St. Jude's sends along her nephew, Jordan le Courtenay, a knight who lost his lust for battle when his best friend was killed in a joust. But soon Isabella inspires in Jordan a passion for the world around him — and a dangerous longing for her.

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