“The first of these is to use the spy that has become an insider of the Lazarus Coven. The challenge at the inauguration was not as successful as we might have hoped, but it was not the fault of the challenger that the outcome was not in our favor,” Stricklend points out. “The man is a loyal and experienced Sentinel, and he is now a trusted member of the Lazarus Coven. Our first option, then, is to have him seduce Lilith Montgomery, become her lover, win her over completely, so that he is able to obtain the Elixir from her.”

The other Sentinels mutter among themselves regarding the merits of the proposal.

“But,” says one, “we do not know that the girl is … well, kindly disposed to our man. She might refuse his advances.”

“She might,” Stricklend concedes.

“And,” another points out, “seduction is hardly an activity one can set one’s watch to. The process might take weeks. Months even.”

“Quite so,” Stricklend allows, “which brings me to the second option. We abduct the Head Witch and … persuade her to part with the recipe for the Elixir. She alone of the coven members knows both the spell and the formula in their entirety.”

“You amaze me.” Loxton is beginning to lose patience. “You have so far suggested love or kidnapping as ways to overcome the obstacle before us. In both cases our success would depend on the foolishness, on the weakness of character, perhaps, of Lilith Montgomery. This is the witch who summoned a demon and controlled it sufficiently to send it back to the Darkness at her bidding. This is the witch who is known to be as serious-minded and clever as she is well connected. This is the witch who is, after all, Robert Montgomery’s daughter, schooled by him over many years. Do you truly believe she will fall for charm like some naïve debutante? Or that she would be so stupid as to leave the house without guardians?”

“The third route calls for more drastic, more violent action.” Stricklend goes on as if Loxton has not spoken. “Which is why I put it to you as a last resort. We must dispose of all the senior witches of the coven, save for the girl. Then, when she stands alone, when she has no real support, we take what we want from her. We may even be able to take the coven, too.”

A laugh from the shadows is followed by an incredulous question. “You mean us to become followers of Lazarus?”

“I do not. I mean us to conquer them, and to assimilate the followers, to absorb them into our own group. The Lazarus Coven would cease to exist and the Sentinels would become the keepers of the Elixir. We would, at last, fulfill our destiny.”