Outside the gates of Heremac, the consortes debate their next course of action in light of Agnes's kidnapping. Dominic is dispatched at once to the west with orders to hamper Scopas's Black-blade army, which is now marching on Kirke's castle in Utterbol. Meanwhile Ruik, the young man often known as Coric, arrives in the camps and presents himself to Sir Hamral for duty. The consortes weigh the precarious state of the crusader army against the threat posed by the diminished ruckish forces guarding the city. Discrete inquiries reveal that Tereus has not abused the captive citizens of Heremac overmuch. Merchants are allowed to freely come and go as long as they consign to have the ruckish king's mark branded on their forehead, and if they leave behind a loved one as hostage. Reportedly Geoffrey Carder's son has accepted this vile mark of Tereus.
Tereus has also closed all the parish churches in Heremac, nailing up their doors and forbidding any man to enter on pain of death. This is not inconsistent with his past policies; in his ruckish kingdom he was said to have destroyed all temples to the heathen ruckish gods, and even forbade the idolatrous rucks from trying to worship himself.
Valerius walks down to the site of the recent battlefield to see if he can divine the future by the flight of the many crows gathered there. He sees eight crows fly up immediately, foretelling "Something profound. Death, dying, or a glimpse of Heaven. A life-altering journey or experience." These crows are soon joined by two more, suggesting "Something extreme. An overwhelming sensation. Something paid in full." And when Valerius wonders about what will happen with Agnes, another crow flies up, suggesting "Uncertainty. Waiting. Wanting. May be in relation to a spiritual matter."
The consortes retire to the Black Pavilion, telling the army that they are entering a secret council of war and should not be disturbed. Once hidden from sight, the consortes use magic to transport themselves quickly to Canglen. Ruik swiftly gathers information from the locals, and reports that the whole town is talking about the kidnapping. The murdered guards were reputed to be all good, veteran men. The resident thieves of Canglen evidently consider this blatant disregard for the Church (to say nothing of the gratuitous bloodshed) to be extremely unusual and unprofessional. If this kidnapping had been a work for hire it would have required considerable coin and probably did not involve local talent.
Vandoren leads his companions to a meeting with his father Sir Dunstan, chancellor to Bishop Martin. Old Dunstan is relieved to see his son, and expresses great worry about the fate of Agnes. The consortes ask several question, but Dunstan's answers do not shed new light on the disappearance. In time, Dunstan calls those men who had walked the Wood Wondrous and who saw first saw babe Agnes into a secret conference. There Dunstan reveals why the Church believes Agnes to be so precious: she is thought to be the Lamb Wreathed in Fire, an apocalyptic figure from the Book of Reckoning, the final chapter of scripture and which details the End Times, wherein the Five are foretold to unmake the world.
Dunstan explains that Agnes has displayed several astonishing features that can only be explained by powerful divine influence: in addition to her miraculous birth, she has shown extraordinary ability to perform miracles, even being able to raise men from death. She has never gotten sick, does not require food or water, and is seemingly impervious to much physical harm. She cannot be affected by magical charms, and the Church scholars believe she will cease to age once she reaches adulthood.
In the Book of Reckoning, the death of the Lamb is the trigger that kicks off the End Times, terrifying days of discord and destruction. How or why the Lamb is killed is not clear, as the Book is full of mysterious, highly allegorical language. The only detail that is given is that she is slaughtered piteously.
Valerius and Noxumbra examine the corpses of Agnes's guard; all men had been bludgeoned to death. By devouring the eye of one of the bodies, Noxumbra can see the guard's final moments of life. Evidently the guards had been attacked by six burly soldiers wielding heavy maces; one intruder was killed before the guards were overpowered and murdered. St. James searches the room and finds evidence that Seekers had been present: a broken pentifix from the haft of a mace. Ruik scours the streets of Canglen and learns that some ex-Seekers had recently left the city in a great hurry about a week ago, heading north.
Despite the long lead, Mendelor finds an abandoned camp just outside of Canglen. The camp was evidently set up by professional military men, and they had attempted to hide all evidence of their presence. But their efforts were no match for the keen eyes of the woodsman. Mendelor also finds a shallow grave; buried there is a dead Seeker, dressed in the white surcoat of the order and bearing a mace with a broken haft.
The consortes quickly deduce that Gregory and some loyal Seeker followers must be behind the kidnapping, and that Gregory, in his deluded state, probably wishes to bring harm to Agnes. Suspecting that the Seekers must be heading for Heremac, the group uses magic to quickly return to the Black Pavilion
Coric asks around the camp, and learns that within the last couple of days a few men came into camp, begging for food. In dress and manner these men sound like Seekers, but Mendelor and Achrach cannot pick up a trail. The consortes then wonder if there is a holy site nearby where Gregory might try to conduct a mad sacrifice. The most likely place seems to be the Bergenian Shrine of St. Marius inside Heremac, said to be built on the site where the famed saint had a great vision of the Five.
After one failed attempt to enter the city, the consortes are able to sneak into the Bergenian shrine, a walled compound within Heremac which was supposed to have been declared off-limits. Inside the holy shrine, though, the consortes find six Seekers waiting, armed with crossbows.
The Seekers do not ask questions, but immediately attack and the consortes answer in kind. The Seekers are all veteran brother-knights, fanatically loyal to their cause. And though they fight fiercely they are quickly brought down. No other Seekers are found in the shrine, nor is there found any evidence of Agnes, but just as the consortes are preparing to leave, in bursts Prince Serapis and four Cataphract bodyguards. The prince cries out for our heroes to drop their weapons, but the group responds only with cold steel and swift magic.
Draak, Mendelor, and Sir Hamral charge to the fore while Ruik, St. James, and Owen scramble up to a second story balcony. Serapis reveals himself to be a powerful magician and unleashes a devastating blast of cold that badly hurts Valerius. The conjurer responds by calling up a great wall of iron to block the way; Serapis answers by flying up the top of the wall and attempting to cast a dolorous spell on Hamral and Vandoren, but both men evade the evil charm.
Meanwhile Mendelor and Draak find themselves cut off from their comrades and facing four very skilled Cataphract warriors. They hold the line just long enough for Ruik and St. James to move into position. Meanwhile Owen drinks a potion and dissolves into a small cloud; he then floats across the great room toward where Serapis is perched.
Vandoren uses his healing wand on Valerius; the conjurer responds by uttering a word of power that stuns Serapis where he stands. Owen then reforms and tackles the hapless ruckish prince. The Cataphracts are quickly cut down, and the prince is bound and gagged. Ruik reports that a large ruckish force is mustering just outside the shrine; the weary consortes grab the captured prince and make their escape back to the crusader camp.