When a plan of Mary's threatens to backfire on her, she strikes a tenuous deal in order to achieve her greater goal. While she learns a bit of the history which surrounds her newest and most dangerous foe, the key to defeating the Countess still remains hidden. Both Anne and Cotton receive unexpected late-night visitors, each of which results in very different conclusions. As Mary tries to bond with her son, she and Tituba discover that the seemingly scared and vulnerable little boy is harboring unsettling thoughts and predilections... and perhaps even darker secrets. Meanwhile, with the help of her familiar, Anne Hale begins to discover some of her father's hidden - and unsettling - secrets; Tituba tries to strike a deal with the captured John Alden; Dr. Wainwright discovers that, perhaps, science alone does not hold all the answers he seeks; and Mary makes a much-needed - and unexpected - ally.
Set in the volatile world of 17th century Massachusetts, it explores what really fueled the town's infamous witch trials and centers on Mary Sibley, the beautiful, ruthless but vulnerable wife of an ancient, ailing but very wealthy Salem town Selectman.