The Head of the Crow — Brendan Carroll

The Ancient Order of the Red Cross of Gold is set upon by unexplained forces as the alchemist and assassin, Chevalier Mark Ramsay, learns a powerful lesson about physical alchemy when he unexpectedly 'gives birth' to the mythical Philosopher's Stone. The arrival of the Stone sets off a chain of events prophesied in a number of obscure alchemical texts wherein he and his Brothers play pivotal roles in an alchemical process. The Stone, coveted by many, understood by few, is stolen and held for ransom by a renegade Templar apprentice bent on exacting revenge for losing his place in the Order. The Grand Master must sacrifice the Knight of the Golden Eagle's immortality in order to recover the Stone and Mark Ramsay's son who has much more about him than they first imagined. The traitor's bumbling disregard for the Templar Code catches the attention of an even more terrifying old enemy.