He rose from his seat, moving with the deliberate economy of motion that characterized the truly ancient among our kind.No wasted gestures, no unnecessary flourishes.He approached a map of Manhattan pinned to the wall, its surface marked with small red pins.
“These represent confirmed sightings of individuals watching our various properties,” he said.“The convent, the monastery’s public entrance, the charity hospital Sister Josephine established, even the donation centers and hospitals that supply us.”
I rose to join him, studying the pattern of pins.They clustered around our locations like a rash, too numerous and too deliberately placed to be a coincidence.
“Any reason to suspect the Order is involved?”
“Perhaps.Or a new player.”Desiderius turned to face me, his expression grave.“Three nights ago, Brother Anthony was followed from the hospital.When confronted, the man—who wore a pin—claimed to be a health inspector.He carried papers that appeared authentic.”
From his pocket, Desiderius withdrew a sketch.“This is what Brother Anthony remembered.”The drawing depicted a pin fashioned in the shape of a rising sun with a cross at its center.
Not exactly the emblem of the Order of the Morning Dawn, but it bore a resemblance.
“If this is the Order, they’ve changed their symbol,” I murmured, holding the drawing he’d handed me with both hands.“It used to be a sword through the sun.”
“I pray it’s a coincidence,” Desiderius added.“Though the cross certainly betrays some religious significance.Not what you’d expect from a common health inspector.”
I returned the drawing to him, my mind racing through implications.“Have they made subsequent contact?”
“No, merely observation thus far.”He returned to his seat, his movements betraying no anxiety though I knew he must feel it.“I have instructed all brothers to travel in pairs and to vary their routes.I suggest you implement similar precautions with your sisters.”
“I will.”I paced the length of the chamber.“We should also accelerate the emergency preparations.If they know where we are—“
“They will move against us eventually,” Desiderius agreed.“Though perhaps not immediately.If this organization is a part of the anti-immigrant sentiment that’s settled into the city at large, we may not be a priority.But if it is the Order, and they suspect what we’re up to, let’s just say that the Order was never known for rash action.They study, plan, and then strike with overwhelming force.”
“I know their methods,” I said quietly.“I was their weapon once.”
“Which makes you an asset.”His voice held no comfort, only cold assessment.“Bishop Harkins must be informed.The human sisters may need to be relocated for their safety.”
I nodded, already drafting the letter in my mind.“And our newest arrivals will need accelerated training.They’re not ready for conflict.”
“Few ever are.”Desiderius returned the drawing to his bookshelf, slipped between two leather Bibles.
I moved toward the stairs, my mind already turning to the preparations needed above.“I should return to the convent.Sister Josephine will be waiting, and Constance needs attention before her hunger becomes unmanageable.”
Desiderius nodded dismissively, already absorbed in his books again.I paused at the foot of the stairs, a question burning in my mind.
“Do you ever wonder if we’re merely postponing the inevitable?”I asked.“If creatures like us truly can find redemption?”
He looked up, his eyes meeting mine.“I do not wonder, Sister Alice.I know we cannot—not as the humans understand it.But perhaps in the striving itself, in the resistance against our nature, and in trusting in the love of our God, we will receive His grace in a unique way.”
It wasn’t the comfort I sought, but I hadn’t expected comfort from Desiderius.I began ascending the stairs, each step taking me back toward my flock, my responsibilities, and the gathering storm I could feel approaching.
Was the Order watching us?Had they found us again?Or was this a new threat, something more fitting the precarious times in which we were living?One way or another, I feared, my questions would find answers.
Chapter 3
SisterJosephine’sstudylayat the heart of the convent, a chamber where time itself seemed to slow beneath the weight of prayerful contemplation.I entered quietly, my footsteps falling without sound on the worn wooden planks.Sister Josephine sat behind her simple desk, her weathered hands folded around her rosary, a figure of frail mortality yet unyielding faith.
“I’ve spoken with Desiderius,” I settled into the chair opposite her.“His monks have been tracked.”
She nodded, unsurprised.“The times grow darker by the day, child.Not only for those who suffer with your condition.”
Shadows danced across the vaulted ceiling as the draft from the corridor stirred the candle flames.The gothic arches above us seemed to gather the darkness into their embrace, as though the very architecture of our sanctuary understood the need for concealment.
“The war in Europe casts long shadows even here,” Sister Josephine continued, her rheumy eyes reflecting the candle’s glow.“The Germans are treated as spies by their neighbors.Italian families find their businesses vandalized.Yesterday, the baker three streets over—his windows were broken, and ‘go back to Italy’ painted across his door.”
“I’ve noticed,” I said.“The paranoia spreads like an infection.People see enemies everywhere.”
