Sent north by Alfred to ransom enslaved king Guthred, Beocca seeks help from Uhtred, who makes a new allegiance in his quest for vengeance.

The stratagems of Abbot Eadred play on Guthred's weakness. Uhtred rallies the men of Cumbraland to march on Eoferwic, but faces a cruel betrayal.

Hild and Ragnar hunt for Uhtred, who lays plans for escape. Alfred eyes the kingdom of Mercia, and chaos erupts when Guthred's alliance crumbles.

Dispatched to Northumbria, Uhtred walks a fine line between fealty to Alfred and assisting Ragnar's savage blood feud with Kjartan.

After a season of peace, Uhtred receives a mystical call to follow his fate. Erik makes a cunning request, and Beocca navigates matters of the heart.

As his distrust of Uhtred deepens, Alfred sends Æthelred to drive Erik and Sigefrid from London, but the young lord harbors ambitions of his own.

Æthelred faces humiliation after his blunder in London backs Alfred into a corner. Her loyalties shifting, Æthelflæd makes a dire appeal to Uhtred.

Odda defies Alfred to coerce the king into war. Uhtred conspires with Erik to rescue Æthelflæd, forcing a fateful confrontation with Sigefrid.

His health failing and fearing for his legacy, Alfred sends Uhtred to confront a new threat: fierce Danish warrior Bloodhair and his sorceress, Skade.

Falling afoul of Alfred, Uhtred flees north to his brother, Ragnar. His eye on the throne, Aethelwold begins assembling an alliance to strike Wessex.

Bloodhair and Aethelwold try to coax Uhtred into their alliance against Alfred. Fearing for her life, Aethelflaed turns to Father Beocca for aid.

Uhtred turns his attention to Aethelflaed's plight. Alfred forces Edward to face his duty. Ragnar's army marches but traitors emerge from within.

A deadly betrayal threatens to splinter Ragnar's army. Uhtred forms a cunning battle plan and finds an unexpected ally in young Edward.

Edward makes a kingly decision. Alfred lays plans for his son's future reign. Aethelwold faces a treacherous task. Uhtred and Brida search out a seer.

A message from Uhtred and the machinations of Skade exploit divisions among the Danes. His health failing, Alfred wrestles with Aethelwold's fate.

Uhtred risks returning to Wessex to fulfill his vow to Brida. As the royal wedding approaches, Aethelwold spreads discord from the shadows.

Uhtred receives news that Bebbanburg's defenses have been weakened by Scottish attacks and plans to seize his birthright, but Edward refuses to help.

As Uhtred and his men draw closer to Bebbanburg, prodigal son Wihtgar returns with some tricks up his sleeve. News of Cnut's treachery reaches Wessex.

Uhtred suffers an unbearable loss in his attack on Bebbanburg but takes some valuable captives during his retreat south. Aethelflaed prepares for war.

Hoping to be joined by Edward's troops, Aethelflaed and Uhtred ally with the Welsh to face Cnut's thousand-warrior army at the Battle of Tettenhall.

A repentant Aethelred lingers near death while his ealdormen vie for control of Mercia and Edward uses his niece Aelfwynn as a bargaining chip.

Eardwulf and his men pursue Uhtred's party as it flees through a countryside ravaged by disease. Tensions rise between Edward and the Mercians.

Aelfwynn suffers from the sickness sweeping the land. Edward proposes an unexpected path forward for Mercia. Brida is freed by Cnut's kinsman.

Uhtred reluctantly prepares to take power in Mercia but secretly formulates an alternate plan. Brida joins the Danes in attacking the Welsh.

Ill omens and border raids make Uhtred extra-vigilant at his northern outpost. King Sigtryggr is visited by his notorious brother Rognvaldr.

A betrayal at Eoferwic sends Sigtryggr in search of aid, while Uhtred begs Aethelflaed for military support she cannot give. Edward meets a new ally.

In the aftermath of the tragic battle for Eoferwic, Sigtryggr is forced to make a painful choice. Edward learns of Aethelhelm's intrigues in Mercia.

Rivals secretly advance competing successors upon the death of a Mercian ruler. Brida finds solace in the faith of her prisoner, Father Pyrlig.

Aethelhelm's subterfuge successfully foments war tensions between Edward and Sigtryggr, but his thugs make a crucial mistake in attacking a pilgrimage.

The forces of Edward and Sigtryggr march toward battle as Uhtred races to reveal the truth of Aethelhelm's scheming and avert a ruinous war.

Edward offers a role to Stiorra that would restore her to power. Aethelhelm meets with a Saxon enemy. Uhtred has a long-overdue reckoning with Brida.

Upon learning of Aethelhelm's location, Uhtred proposes an audacious attack to rescue Aelfwynn and restore his birthright — but Edward is cautious.