After narrowly evading capture by the sultan’s forces, the boys lose their way in the vast forests of Transylvania where they meet Sir Gregor Dahr Altair, an imperial knight who only just escaped from Roter Turm before it was destroyed by the Ottomans. Gregor is a powerful force within the Excubitors, a secretive fraternity of royal advisors, financiers, and merchants who could change the outcome of the war through their influential positions within the Ottoman Empire and Christendom. Learning Lorian’s identity and mission, he leads the brothers ahead of the tempest, rushing to reach the great trading city of Hermannstadt before it is surrounded and destroyed by the sultan's army.

The Sword and the Shield of the Realm debuts the historical series Merchants of Time, a seven-novel grand adventure into the maelstrom of 15^th century Eastern Europe, a colorful world marked by turbulence, mayhem, and danger. Part mystery and part reexamination of historical events, the novel takes the reader during a time when, in the intricate tapestry of human history, many of today’s predicaments took root. Using the compelling tale as a backdrop to understand philosophical and religious differences, which so profoundly impacted our world, the author provides the reader with greater insight into the painful truths of our past.  

This first novel is enhanced with a comprehensive glossary, which contains contemporary terms and relevant historical references and characters. The lexicon adds to the interest of the story line and allows the reader to accurately relate to the events in the book.