With Sultan Mehmed away on campaign, the capital simmers with treachery. He’s left Evrenesoğlu Ali to maintain order, but Çandarlı is already conspiring to use Gülşah in a plot to crown Prince Ahmed—a plan complicated by Halime, who has her own ambitions for her son.
Abroad, Emperor Konstantinos seizes the moment to make a provocative offer: increasing Orhan’s stipend to fuel unrest. But the real danger lies closer—Kurtçu, under Çandarlı’s command, prepares to confront Mehmed with a ritual of submission: passing under swords. It’s a daring act that could spark open rebellion. In this high-stakes game of power, Mehmed’s decisions will either secure his throne—or shatter it.