Prologue
The last thing that Cass wanted was to drink something specially brewed by Ms Mauvais, but Owen was watching. So she took a tentative sip.
That same morning, Ms Mauvais had been in the kitchen. Not the kitchen where the meals for the guests were prepared, but in the alchemy kitchen. The preparing of the magical elixirs was a task reserved exclusively for the leader of the Midnight Sun. But today Ms Mauvais was preparing a very special elixir for a very special guest.
Her golden glittering dress and jewelry was covered by a white lab-coat marked in the back in golden thread with a sun. She stood in front of a black stone table looking scarily like a sacrificial altar. The table was cluttered with vials and test tubes containing sizzling liquids and gelatinous substances brought from faraway lands by Midnight Sun agents. The delicate gloved hand poured the contents of the test tubes one by one into a small witches' cauldron standing on the table. Underneath it was a multicolored fire like the one on the lantern on top of the pyramid. The last vial to be emptied was sitting at a corner of the table. An innocent emerald liquid with small bubbles gently bobbing to the surface and popping. Innocent until you saw the label on the back. A skull with crossbones. Poison. Just in case…
The girl was the heir of the Jester. It was clear as day. She might destroy the Midnight Sun. But she could also be their only chance to get the Secret. If they recruited her before the Terces Society got a chance to, they would be invincible. If not, she would die five years after drinking the elixir, if it could be called that. Of course, she could be easily cured with the right antidote, but just in case…
During the following years Ms Mauvais grew to hate the young girl. She regretted not killing her on the spot. But she knew that she would die. And she, Ms Mauvais, would be responsible for it, for if she couldn't have the secret, then nobody would.
Okay. This is hopefully going to be long. I can't really remember what happened at the end of the last book, so if my details are wrong, don't blame me. I won't have access to the book until school starts again.