Spring, 1226

There is much discussion of the events of the previous month, and the magi begin looking into reinforcing the covenant and trying to determine the sequence of events that led to the death of Jeremiah and Videnaeci. Umbriel ex Miscellanea heads to Cad Gadu to see how they have fared. Shale ex Miscellanea checks out the resources of the covenant, and finds that one of their vis sources - the magical snake - has been slain by axe and sword.

Alicia ex Criamon and Vladimir ex Tytalus head back down to Doissetep, and this time manage to get an invite inside to talk to Archmage Benzigotrin ex Criamon. He is willing to return the Tetrahedron of Fire, but it is decided to keep it at Doissetep for now where it is probably safer. There is some discussion about Cycles of Time and other Criamon matters. They head to Valnastium, by way of the Caves of Twisting Shadow. However, they get lost in the Alps and are unable to find the Criamon covenant, so head directly to Valnastium instead.

At Valnastium, the Domus Magnus of House Jerbiton, they meet Isabelle Stabilis ex Jerbiton, the maga who originally invited them to Cruentis Petram, and she agrees to travel with them back to their covenant. A long discussion is had by all. Isabelle and others had raised the story of Jeremiah with the emergency Tribunal in 1217, but nobody believed them, hence their desire to keep things low key. Apart from trying to raise Eira as a good Christian, they had had no great plans for her.

She also mentions that in Jeremiah's timeline, the children of King John were the daughters of Ingrat, a maga of Blackthorn covenant. She was also known as Melusine, a demon that has plagued the house of the Kings of England for many generations. Alicia's visions suggest that this is also true in this Cycle. If Ingrat is actually a demon, and her children (including King Henry III) are as well, then the magi need to tread carefully.