In this supernatural drama, John Alden returns to Salem in 1692, after years away at war, to find his hometown in the midst of a witch panic and Mary, the woman he left behind, married to another man.

Following the first death of the Grand Rite, Mary intends to sacrifice another innocent. Meanwhile, John works with Cotton Mather and Issac Walton to try to locate and stop the witches.

When Magistrate Hale discovers that it was Isaac who broke the witches circle, it's up to John to save him. A power struggle arises within the hive, forcing Mary to assert her authority with potentially deadly consequences.

A face from John's past comes to Salem, and Mary's plans nearly come apart when she loses control of Mercy Lewis. Elsewhere, Mary's most trusted ally, Tituba, is forced to deceive John to eliminate a threat that endangers her mistress.

Following the discovery of the Malum, John acquires the help of Cotton to find out more about the Grand Rite. Mary tries to regain control of Mercy, and Tituba is tasked by the hive to discover the secret of John Alden that he has killed to keep.

After successfully capturing Rose, John and Cotton plan to extract information on the Grand Rite from her during the planetary alignment with Saturn. Mary assists Mercy in becoming a witch and initiates her into the hive.