Lord Grimes shakes his head at the wickedness they have all heard fabled stories of. “It is said some necromancers were put to death—willingly or otherwise, history cannot reliably relate—in order that the senior Sentinels could practice their skills in Infernal Necromancy…”

“And to further swell their numbers,” says Druscilla. “The Lazarus witches of centuries ago were compelled to act. They could not allow such abuse of the Elixir, such wanton, amoral employment of the Great Secret, to continue.”

Soon the three are chattering with some vehemence about the vileness of the Sentinels and their forebears. It is Lord Harcourt who eventually raises a hand for quiet.

“Tell us, Morningstar, why is it that you think they are more dangerous now?”

“My father spoke to Mangan before he died.” I ignore the tutting and huffing the artist’s name elicits. “Father was very near the end, and he took him into his confidence. He told him he believed that the Sentinels are planning to move against us. They are plotting something, and intend putting it into action soon. The challenger was the first proof of that.”

Lord Grimes shakes his head in disbelief. “You are telling us that there is a Sentinel in our coven?”

“I believe so, yes. The challenge was just the beginning.”

“But,” Victoria looks shaken, “that is impossible. How would he have been inducted? We would surely have sensed there was something wrong. We would have spotted him.”

“I believe he is skilled at disguise and at blocking his witch’s persona. If he does not want to be detected as a Sentinel, or indeed as a witch at all, he is adept at the deception.”

“I will draw up a list of new members at once,” Lord Grimes decides. “It would be as well to scrutinize it.”

Druscilla leans forward. “Morningstar, if what you say is true, then the first thing you have to understand is that the Sentinels are not witches.” There is a murmur of assent from the others. “They are necromancers, some of them, yes, but not witches. Never witches. They are sorcerers.” She hisses the word, as if it burns her mouth to utter it. “Their magic is ancient, more ancient even than our own, and fearsomely powerful. But it has its roots in evil. There are more sorcerers condemned to the Darkness than any other humans, and many of them are Sentinels.”

“We must alert the rest of the coven to the danger,” Victoria insists.

Lord Grimes questions the wisdom of this. “But surely we must take care not to show our hand. Might it not be better to allow the spy to think he remains undiscovered?”

“And so he does!” Victoria points out. “No, our fellow witches have a right to know that we are under threat. Who knows where and when the Sentinels may strike if they are prepared to take such risks as worming their way into our very midst? Think of poor Oswald Tressick.”