Our Pastor Larrae is stymied as the local townspeople assume that he is the new magistrate, and flood him with reports of thefts, reivings, and villages being burned out along the coast, droves of homeless seeking shelter, a druid 'snakeman' cult, and furtive shadows seen slinking through the wood in the dark of night. The lairds are missing without a trace, and Delia and Deirdre are kidnapped Alba needs a miracle or two from God