Silvana was too experienced an operator to wince when Blademar told Lord Sarkonad that they would find his boy. It was probably the right thing to say but her mind went back to the Inquisitorial Court, she certainly would have voted for death if this situation had come up in that context. The Arch-enemy was insidious, brushing too close to its taint was to invite destruction. It was the burden of an Ordos operative that over the course of their career they gained much heretical knowledge that would have led to their execution had they been ordinary citizens of the Imperium. To face Chaos one had to know Chaos but that study was only undertaken after rigorous training and indoctrination. In her case years of testing before she was finally sanctioned. Leopold, if he was still alive, enjoyed no such protection.

Fortunately Volantus Sarkonad was no fool. The word Chaos was not thrown around lightly and the fact that a member of his family had been involved with something of the warp impressed upon him the need to do everything he could to be compliant. He had doubtlessly guessed at the true affiliation of his visitors, even if he was diplomatic enough not to say it, and if he hadn’t guessed himself, Silvana was sure that his sources in the Governor's household would have furnished him with suspicions. Lady Sarkonad protested loudly but within fifteen minutes the family had left the estate and the servants and armsmen not long after that.

Taq by virtue of having already witnessed the incident was given the task of sweeping and securing the compound. While arbites were being called to secure the perimeter of the building no one who had not already witnessed the events of the bedchamber was allowed to remain. Those who had witnessed it were compelled to. While Blademar made the arrangements Silvana took careful picts of the bedroom and began work on charcoal sketches of the psychic impressions she had received during the seance. Once the recording was complete she sent for Taq and his men. The arbites were arriving with hand held flamers when she exited the paint splattered bedroom. She nodded her approval even as her nose wrinkled at the prometheum scent of the burning pilot lights. 

Blademar was emerging from the main hallway and gestured her to him. She couldn’t see the gesture but the intention behind it was clear enough, she crossed the room and they stepped into one of the small parlors that lined the main hallway. The parlor was clearly intended for impromptu gatherings or senior servants, but they were still furnished more opulently than anything most of the teeming trillions of Imperial subjects would ever witness.

“Tell me what you discovered,” he commanded bluntly. It was obvious to her that he was upset with her, that was reasonable. The auto-seance normally posed risks only to the practitioner and the querent if she choose to bring one. Perhaps she should have invited Hieronymus, though she doubted he would have gone along with the notion. His dislike of psykers was obvious although he tried to hide it. She opened the book of charcoal sketches, they were rough but expressive drawings, first passes that she would refine later with time and meditation.

“What am I looking at,” Hieronymus asked.  The centerpiece of the drawings was the strange glyph that she had seen at the center of the painting when it’s true form was revealed. Silvana’s tongue clove to the roof of her mouth as she considered it.

“Its some kind of word or phrase in the lexicon of the arch enemy, it might be a name but it would have to be very short. The paint Leopold had, Im not sure if he knew it or not but it had been tainted by the warp, it drew things in when he gave them form with his mind. Whatever the thing is behind this sigil, it took him when he completed the painting,” she explained. She remembered how the painting had folded him into it, a large version of the sigil had been painted on the wall beyond it.

“I think the portal, or whatever you want to call it was to somewhere on Meridian probably in this very hi…

“Excuse me sir, the boy…” Silvana slapped the sketch book shut as Taq stepped into the parlor. The arbite judged the reaction and froze in embrassent. Silvana felt a burst of startled thoughts as he stepped back. 

“He recognises it, the symbol,” Silvana snapped her voice cold. Taq put both his hands up placatingly as she stood, her posture errect and terrible.

“Uhhh I didn’t mean to…”

“Where have you seen this symbol before Lieutenant. NOW!”

“It’s a ganger tag ma’am, one of the newer once I think, I’ve seen it down in the lower habs a few times on beat. That is all I know I swear!”