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It takes me a moment to place the familiar handwriting on the first envelope, then I realise it’s from Bren. Had it been there when I arrived, or had I willed it into being by wondering about the drawings?

I open it with shaking hands, unsure what to expect. An apology? An explanation? An accusation? We said everything that needed to be said last night, but my brother likes to have the last word.

There’s no letter inside. Just one more drawing in Bren’s distinctive style. It shows Gabriel lounging on the sofa at my parents’ house. It’s unclear whether it’s taken from life or from his imagination and if it’s intended as a peace offering or a taunt. I stare at it for minutes on end, drinking in Gabriel’s features. Then I fold it up and carefully place it in a drawer. There’s no way I can cope with it being on the wall.

I can’t help but hope that the other letter is from Gabriel himself, though again, it feels like we’ve already said everything that could be said for the moment. When I finally brace myself enough to open it, I find a blank sheet of parchment. But as I watch, words appear, drawn letter by letter with an invisible quill.

Sadie Sadler,

We’ve been aware of your presence in our city for some time now, but you’ve kept yourself in the shadows, denying your power and fighting to live a normal life. After this summer, I suspect that’s going to change.

We’ve heard the basics of the things that happened in Mannith. We always like to keep a close eye on our provincial cousins and old allies. And now, we find ourselves in need of someone with your unique combination of magical strength and legal prowess.

There are all sorts of ways in which I could make good use of a practitioner lawyer, but above all, I need you to help me prove that vampires can’t always get away with murder.

I’ll admit that my motivation is revenge and that they’re a dangerous group to cross, considering most of our powers don’t work on them. But if it helps, bloodsuckers are all reactionary bastards. Perhaps you’d like an opportunity to teach some stuck-up rich guys who regard people as livestock a lesson in human rights?

Meet me on Hampstead Heath at midnight, and we can discuss the terms of your membership.

Yours,

Lavinia Morven, Matriarch of the London Coven

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