In Winchester, Aliena appeals to the king for clemency for her father, but Bartholomew is beheaded publicly anyway, and Richard is offered a knighthood. Aliena then starts a fleece middleman business to help earn money for Richard's expenses. Tom, Philip and William find themselves in a standoff over access to the Shiring quarry, and Jack is injured in a duel with Walter. Waleran and Regan plot to have the cathedral moved from Kingsbridge to Shiring, and invite the king to Kingsbridge to observe the feast day of St. Adolphus. Despite his injury, Jack's artistic talents take hold as he carves and paints a statue to honour the cathedral's patron saint. After Philip recruits peasants to assist with building, King Stephen visits the cathedral work site but collapses in a nightmare-induced fit before the statue.

Philip is rescued by his brother Francis, and finds Jack "risen from the dead". Waleran and Regan manipulate the prisoner exchange so that they remain on the winning side of the war, and Waleran helps Gloucester by suggesting a replacement for the king's son, Eustace. The Hamleighs and Philip are offered terms by Maud to Shiring's estate and resources, but at a steep price. Tom wants Jack and Alfred to be friends, but Alfred's jealousy over Jack and inheriting his father's tools is too intense, and he smashes all of Jack's gargoyles. To resolve the tension, Jack is offered an assistant and overseer position by Philip, on the condition that he takes the vows of a monk - he accepts the deal against Ellen's wishes. Meanwhile, William is encouraged by Waleran to attack Kingsbridge and stop the fleece fair. In the ensuing chaos and inferno, Aliena is burnt and Tom is murdered by William.