While Esther recovers from her injuries with the help of the mysterious child Seth, Ion is stunned to find himself face to face with the supposedly dead Radu, who challenges him to stop him from killing the Empress. He also plants a seed of doubt in Ion when he tells him of Esther's past...doubt that could spell disaster for them all.

Ion Fortuna and Sister Esther find themselves unwitting pawns in an elaborate plot to murder the Empress- One which reveals a more sinister treachery emerging from the shadows. Together, they must face ghosts from the past in order to secure a future for the Methuselah/Human alliance.

Esther and Ion must fight to survive in prison, while Asta and Abel rush to save them. After being publicly accused as a traitor, Suleyman soon discovers that there is no way to deny his accustations as it turns out that Seth is the Empress. Abel rushes to stop Dietrich (disguised as Radu) from repairing and using a weapon of mass destruction. Dietrich retaliates, and Abel is saved by Seth, who has revealed herself as his sister. Seth warns Abel that Cain is still alive, and he sets out to find him.

Pope Alessandro finds temporary refuge among the workers of the Underground Ghetto, as the members of A.X., the Inquisition, and the rebel terrorists all race to find him. But the Rosen Kreuz Order lurks in the shadows, ready to exploit the Albion crisis for its own sinister purposes...