Young, innocent David Balfour leaves his father's gravesite to claim an inhertitance--and finds himself in a nightmare war for his very life. Betrayed by his own family. Beaten unconscious. Stuffed into the hold of a ship manned by drunken murderers. Doomed to slavery or death.

But then Balfour's captors try to kill a renegade swordsman named Alan Breck--a lethal mistake. With blood-dripping swords, Alan and David battle their way to shore...but not to safety. Breck is a rebel fighting for a cause already lost; and David is falsely charge with assassination.

Wanted by kidnappers, terrorists and an army; trapped in a land of enemies; Alan and David are locked together in a desperate race across and entire nation, toward a slim chance for freedom, safety...

And David Balfour's revenge.