"This letter is to inform you of the unforeseen passing of Grand Magus Coventry and the consequential promotion of Belgrave Temple Magus, Vera Stone. Each chapter of the Order is expected to hold a moment of guided praise to welcome the new Grand Magus. Further instructions and information will follow."

"Unforeseen passing? We don't even get an explanation of what happened?"

Hainesworth Temple Magus Rosario Marin stared down at the note lying on her desk with disdain before looking up at her sister across the table. Standing before her and inspecting her chipped painted nails, Aracelia looked as unconcerned as her tone of voice. Rosario sighed in annoyance, folding her hands together on her desk as she spoke. "You could at least pretend to care, Leia," she said.

Aracelia met her eyes, expression unchanged. "Oh no, how could I be so callus," she replied sarcastically. "I'm sorry, dear sister, for your loss. I know how...close you and the Grand Magus were."

"Sister or not, I am still your Temple Magus and you will give me the respect that title calls for," Rosario said forcefully. "Same goes for Edward Coventry, dead or not."

Her sister rolled her eyes dramatically. "Cut the loyalty act, Rio. Coventry is dead and the only reason you were even working him so hard was to try and get him to shift the priorities of the Order. You should see his death as a blessing, really. Vera hates you enough that she won't even give a second thought if our chapter separates on our own and without anyone to intervene, you can take us in whatever direction you please."

"Were it that easy, I wouldn't have asked you here."

"So why am I here?" Aracelia sighed.

"As you stated, the Council hasn't exactly given us an explanation of what happened to Edward. Perhaps it was a ritual gone wrong, but without the facts, it is nothing more than mystery that I need solved. If there is anything I know about Vera Stone, it is that she would not have taken up the mantel of Grand Magus if given a choice. For her to have the title now means that something extreme must have happened and the Council must have felt there was no other choice. Given that Belgrave was the last place Edward visited, I am willing to bet that if anyone knows what truly happened to him, it would be her and her brood of miscreants."

"Still not understanding why I'm here."

"Well, isn't it obvious dear sister? I'm sending you to Belgrave to investigate for me. However long it may take, whatever becomes necessary to find the answers, I need you at Belgrave to retrieve them for me. It is easier to write off the transfer of a 'displeased' magistratus, than it is to explain a prolonged visit by another Temple Magus."

"I don't have much say in this, do I?" Aracelia asked in annoyance. Rosario simply shook her head. "Am I to take this to mean that your attempt to contact Edward in the afterlife was a failure?"

"Not a failure as much as further proof that his death was not one of normal circumstances that would allow for contact. Which makes me believe more that there is something the Council doesn't want the rest of us to know—"

"Which means it could be something of great power that might help or hurt us."

"Exactly. Either way, if we're going to go on with our plan of branching out, it's best that we know everything we can. With your position, transferring in will land you close enough to the new Grand Magus that she'll have to keep you in the loop as much as possible. And even if she doesn't, you'll have access to much of the same information as the rest of her high rankers and as such, shouldn't have too much trouble putting pieces together."

"If I do this, I want it guaranteed that I eventually become Temple Magus of our Order. I'll be damned if I do all the leg work and you give the title to someone like Henry or—"

"The Necromantic Order of the Black Rose will be created and run by Marin blood only, I can assure you."

Aracelia waited in silence for a moment, assessing her sister and her words. she knew from past experience that Rosario could always find a way to weasel out of a deal or hide her lies. If she was going to rearrange her life for however long her intel gathering would take, she wasn't going to run on possibility.

"I'll get my things together and book a flight soon as I can," she said with an arrogant smile. "But not until I get this little agreement written and bound in blood. You know, just to cover my own ass. Nothing personal."

Rosario's facial features strained as she tried to hold back the annoyance for her sister. Seeing no other way around it, she sighed, going into her drawer for a blade and parchment.