Set five years after the events of 'Daughter of Darkness', the ruling family of Regnum Infernale receive a peculiar visitation from their distant past. The visitors urge them to undergo a dangerous magical feat that could change their world forever...
NOTE: This chapter contains explicit content. Discretion advised!
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Desdemona accompanied Cecilia and her mother, Lydia, that evening to the Black Mass being held in the Grand Hall. She did not want to go with her family after what happened, but considering Lydia's status as Archduchess, she was given a higher seat than most people, adjacent to the royals where she herself would sit. She had freshened up just enough to get rid of the blood from her hair and skin from the music earlier, and still wore the same clothing. Lydia, upon reaching the Grand Hall, looked to the Princess with concern.
"Are you sure you don't want to sit with us, Desdemona?" she questioned. "I could explain to your mother, Her Infernal Majesty, why you were with us."
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"Mom, I'm sure she already knows. She's the Queen," Cecilia interfered.
"I must sit with them. I'll be just fine," Desdemona said morosely. "Thank you for having me this afternoon."
"You're most welcome," Lydia said, her palm gently grazing her niece's cheek before walking off.
Desdemona was left alone, looking around at the relatively well-dressed populous that came to attend the ceremonies of the late evening hours. She sighed, and felt a presence behind her. She turned to look, and it was a mysterious, black-cloaked figure showing nothing but a gray, emaciated face covered by a hood. It unnerved her, but it started to speak to her in a hoarse voice.
"You must find your family," he said to her, "and sit with them. Join them in your worship of me."
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"Who are you? What were you doing at the Cooperative branch today? I saw you, you were-"
"Dessi," she heard, "who are you talking to?"
Past the shoulder of the mysterious specter, she could see her mother, dressed in a red satin evening gown with Elijah at her side, clad in black with a red cape, as well as Anathem, clad in a red suit. Melanie came up to her daughter and shook her head at her attire, which was rather casual for something like a Black Mass. They were royals, and expected to look as such.
