The Armor of Light

The Armor of Light was originally published by Baen Books in 1988. NESFA Press issued a hardcover edition in 1997.

The heavy summer air of 1593 is full of portents for Elizabeth, England’s Queen, and James VI, King of Scotland. A coven of witches secretly controlled by the Wizard Earl of Bothwell has summoned a storm to sink the ship that bears James’ bride to Scotland. Though the ship made port, the success of their summoning has emboldened them; the coven is now launching wizardly attacks on the King himself — and James is terrified.

The King has protectors — including, reluctantly, the Queen of England herself — but not even Elizabeth’s secret service, in the person of poet Christopher Marlowe, and her champion, the redoubtable Sir Philip Sidney, can be on watch every instant…