The Hermetic Order of the Red Orchid

The Founder

Josie POV

My head was spinning and I wasn't sure where I had woke up. Sounds of voices filtered into my subconscious but I couldn't tell who was speaking or even understand it at first.

Then I understood the words.

"That is what I have to find out. All I know is that before I killed Roman....

At first I registered that this was the person who killed Roman. Then I wasn't sure if I heard the person right or maybe I was just imagining it. Then when it became real I was sure the girls voice was not who I thought it was but she kept talking.

Hope had killed Roman and was now speaking.

When I opened my eyes I glanced around the room as the other Knights watched Hope and listened intently to what she was saying. How could they be this calm with a member of the Order around?

Eventually I had to speak.

"Wait you killed Roman?" I spoke into the now quiet room.

Hope stopped and her eyes snapped to me as the book she was holding fell out of her hand and onto the floor.

Hope looked like she hadn't expected to be having this conversation with me and was continuing to be silent. As were the other Knights.

I still had one question.

"What are you doing here with the Knights Hope?"

Hope smiled with a hint of sadness and reluctance.

"Isn't it obvious now Josie? I am a Knight. In fact I am the Alpha."

My head was too sore for this and all my thoughts felt currently jumbled. I stood up and my vision went blurry and all I could think as my world turned on it's side and I headed towards the floor was how did I even end up in all this mess.

Hope POV

After catching Josie again I took her upstairs and put her into bed. Jed came again with a vial and I thanked him before getting Josie to drink it.

That force that stopped Josie at the Inner Sanctum was enough to kill someone and if Josie hadn't been a Knight she would likely be dead by now.

While waiting for Josie to recover I went downstairs and grabbed the book I got before returning to Josie's bedside. A quick Google Translate told me the book was in an Ancient Irish Gaelic language.

The title was called 'The Dead Witch'

I flipped through the pages and it told a story of an ancient Witch that had something to do with the creation of the first Magic Users and how they took Magic from the Dead Witch.

I translated a passage from the book and it read...

'So as the Witch lay dying after being dealt a dying blow from the beast she uttered words that would let her Magic be used for centuries after her demise. It was believed that the first known existence of the The Hermetic Order of the Red Orchid was in the early 14th century and that they drew power from the deceased Witch. As long as her body was consecrated in the earth they could obtain all the power they sought. It is the main source of their power...'

Hope stopped reading.

"Wait a minute, oh my God!"

"What are you reading?" Josie spoke up lightly. 

Hope snapped out of it and set the book down.

"Never mind that. It can wait. How are you?"

Josie seemed still a bit out of it but her eyes were clear as she looked at me.