An Elizabethan era tale of intrigue into two courts: Elizabeth's, and Invidiana's.
In the prologue, Elizabeth is approached by a strange fey woman while she is in prison, and they strike a bargain.
Then we go forward some years for when Michael Devon arrives to petition Elizabeth to be one of her Gentlemen Pensioners, and when Lune, disgraced since her embassy to the sea folk did result in the storms that plagued the Armada but at too high a price, watches while Invidiana receives poor country fey who lost their homes. Invidiana executes the courtier responsible, but Lune knows that Invidiana herself was responsible for the destruction -- this was to warn this fey's conspirators that she was wise to them, without alerting the rest of the court to what happened.
Devon speaks with Walsingham and becomes involved in discovering secret threats to Elizabeth's throne. Lune is permitted to put on mortal guise and spy in Elizabeth's court for ways to influence Walsingham. Which is where the intrigue first comes together, before it grows more convolutions.
It involves an ancient curse, someone who asked Father Thames a question for a year and a day, the length of Invidiana's reign, brownies who live under a rose bush, an ambassador who aids Lune, Doctor Dee, an intruder in Elizabeth's court, and the Wild Hunt, among many other things.