Feels like am making a deal with the devil

by Sjosmxnkxlmssoosls

Summary:

Morrigan except Ezra squalls other before even meeting Jupiter north

Chapter 1

Bid Day

“Do not speak to anyone, Morrigan,” her father muttered for the hundredth time that morning, hurrying up the stone steps of Town Hall in great strides she struggled to match. “You will be sitting on the stage with me, where everyone can see you. Understand? Don’t you dare make anything… happen. No broken hips or—or swarms of wasps, or falling ladders, or…”
“Shark attacks?” offered Morrigan.

“Morrigan, do you really think this is funny? Are you trying to ruin my career.” “Depends, do you want me to?” Morrigan heard Elizabeth laughing, trying to cover it up with a cough so ,their father wouldn’t turn on her
Morrigan and Elizabeth had been to Town Hall on several other occasions, usually when their father’s popularity was at its lowest and he needed a public show of support from his family. Flanked by stone columns and sitting in the shadow of an enormous iron clock tower, the gloomy-looking Town Hall was Jackalfax’s most important building. But the
clock tower—was much more interesting.

The Skyfaced Clock was no ordinary clock. There were no hands, and no lines to mark the hours. Only a round glass face, with an empty sky inside that changed with the passing of the Age—from the palest-pink dawn light of Morningtide, through the golden bright Basking, to the sunset-orange glow of Dwendelsun, and into the dusky, darkening blue of the gloaming.
Today—like every day this year—they were in the Gloaming. Morrigan knew that meant it wasn’t long until the Skyfaced Clock would fade into the fifth and final color of its cycle: the inky, star-strewn blackness of Eventide. The last day of the Age. But that was sadly a year away.

20 minutes later, after long and boring speeches.
Then, finally, the Lord Mayor of Jackalfax brought out a polished wooden box and began to read the bids, Morrigan and Elizabeth sat up straight in their seats.

After about 20 minutes of the same claps, cries, and frustrated yells, it got very interesting for Morrigan and even her little 7-year-old-sister.

“We have an anonymous bid for… for…”
The Lord Mayor paused, glancing at the VIP section, and back to the letter in his hand. He cleared his throat. “For Miss Morrigan Crow.”

Morrigan could feel every single pair of eyes on her, with the horrible looks they always gave her. She could feel the sudden mood change in her father and even her sister. Her father was angry and her sister, well, she looked well for some reason. Amused, like this was the best day of her life.

After Morrigan got up and walked up to get her bid, the mayor had already said the next bid “Mrs. Ardith Asher of the Devereaux Ladies’ College’—never heard of it!—‘wishes to present her bid for… for…” The Lord Mayor trailed off. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped the sweat from his brows. “Once again Miss Morrigan Crow.”morrigan even more shocked got the other letter and sat back down

The next bid came “Mrs. Ardith Asher again of the Devereaux Ladies’ College wishes to present her bid for… for…” The Lord Mayor paused then said “‘For Miss Elizabeth Crow.” Morrigan could see how shocked Elizabeth was, but then she ran with the happiest grin Morrigan had ever seen.

2 more bids came for Morrigan, one from Jupiter North, and one from some army college.

More bids came and went until: “That was the final envelope,” said the Lord Mayor, closing his eyes in gratitude. His voice shook. “W-would all the children who received bids please move to the back of the hall, and, um, our aides will show you to the interview rooms where you can, er, meet your prospective patrons. Everyone else… I’m sure you’ll all… you know. Doesn’t mean you’re not all very capable and er… well.” He waved vaguely at the audience, who took it as their cue to depart.

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While Corvus was trying to shut down Morrigan speaking to any one who wanted to be her patron, Morrigan was coming up with a very nice way of saying “I am sorry, but I am going to die in under 380 days, so maybe just find someone different.” No, no, no, Morrigan meant well, it’s not mean, but morrigan knew that it was too blunt so, she decided to say: “I’m sorry, but I’m on the Cursed Children’s Register. I’m going to die on Eventide. Thank you for your time and interest. Yes. Straight to the point. Morrigan smiled to herself.

She was ushered into a room with bare walls, a desk, and a chair on either side. It felt like an interrogation chamber… and in a way, Morrigan supposed it was. The idea of the meeting between patron and child was that the child could ask as many questions as he or she wished, and the patron had to answer honestly. It was one of the few things she’d picked up from her father’s boring Bid Day speech

A man with feathery brown hair sat in one of the chairs, humming a little tune to himself. He wore a gray suit and a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles that he pushed up on his nose with one pale, slender finger. He smiled calmly, waiting for Morrigan to sit.

“Miss Crow, my name is Mr. Jones. Thank you for seeing me. I've come on behalf of my employer. He’d like to offer you an apprenticeship”

An apprenticeship? Morrigan thought. But why would they want her out of everyone?

“What… kind of an apprenticeship?”
Mr. Jones smiled. Tiny lines wrinkled the corners of his dark, expressive eyes. “An apprenticeship in his company, Squall Industries.”
“Squall Industries?” she said, frowning. “That means you work for—”
“Ezra Squall. Yes. The most powerful person in the Republic.” He lowered his eyes to the table. “Second most powerful, I should say. After our great president.”

“ “What could the second most powerful person in the Republic possibly want with me?”

“It’s not for me to say why Mr. Squall wants what he wants,”

“I’m only his assistant. I carry out his wishes. Right now he wishes for you to become his student, Miss Crow… and his heir.”

“His heir? What does that mean?”

“It means that he wishes for you to one day run Squall Industries in his place, to be rich and powerful beyond your wildest dreams, and to lead the greatest, most influential, and most profitable organization that has ever existed.”

“I’m not even allowed to lick envelopes at home," Morrigan replied annoyed

Their conversation stopped 10 minutes later, when Mr Jones gave Morrigan the contract to sign.

“Go on Morrigan, sign it and everything will be ok” he said it in that horrible calm voice Morrigan slowly started to hate, but for some reason she signed it because maybe just maybe she might be able to leave crow manor even if it is just until the next year when she would die.

A minute later Morrigan’s father and her sister came to get morrigan, saying how it was a prank and that the bids weren’t real. But Morrigan knew they were, because she got a note from Ezra squall that Mr jones gave her, saying to accept Jupiter North’s bid and to wait for him when Jupiter comes and gets her.

“Lowry,” barked Corvus, knocking on the roof to alert the driver. “What’s the holdup? Get those people out of the way.”
“I’m trying, Chancellor, but—”
“It’s here!” somebody shouted. “It’s coming!” The crowd cheered in response. Morrigan craned her neck, trying to see what was happening. People embraced in the streets—not just the Bid Day children, but everyone, whistling and whooping and throwing their hats in the air.
“Why are they…” began Morrigan, then stopped, listening. “What are those bells ringing for?”
Corvus looked at her strangely. His papers slipped from his hand and scattered across the carriage floor as he pushed open the door and leapt out onto the street. Morrigan followed him, and after looking up, saw what everyone had been running toward.
The clock tower.
The Skyfaced Clock was changing. Morrigan watched as the dusky twilight blue deepened to sapphire, to navy, and finally to a profound, unfathomable black. Like an inkpot in the sky. Like a black hole, come to swallow up the world.
Morrigan felt her stomach drop.The bells were ringing for eventide

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Later that night, Morrigan read Elizabeth a story, Peter Pan, and then went to bed herself. She was hugging her teddy Emmet close to her as she tried to fall asleep.

But there was a noise. A very small noise that was barely a noise—like a tiny whisper or a rush of air. She flicked on her lamp and the room flooded with light.
It was empty. Morrigan’s heartbeat quickened. She jumped up and looked around, under the bed, and threw open the wardrobe doors—nothing.
No. Not nothing.
Something.
A small white rectangle stood out against the dark wooden floorboards. Someone had slipped an envelope under her door. She picked it up and creaked the door open to peek into the hallway outside. There was nobody there.

On the envelope, someone had written untidily in thick black ink:

“Jupiter North of the Wundrous Society wishes to present his bid for Miss Morrigan Crow. Again.”

“The Wundrous Society,” Morrigan whispered.
She ripped open the envelope and pulled out two pieces of paper. One was a letter, the other a contract—typed and official-looking, with two signatures at the bottom. Above the word PATRON was the large, messy signature of Jupiter North. The second, above PARENT OR GUARDIAN, she couldn’t read and didn’t recognize at all. It certainly wasn’t her
father’s handwriting.
The third space—CANDIDATE—was blank. Waiting.
Morrigan read the letter, feeling utterly bewildered.

Dear Miss Crow,
Congratulations! You have been selected by one of our members as a candidate for entry to the Wundrous Society.

“Please be advised that your entry is not assured. Membership in the Society is extremely limited, and each year hundreds of hopeful candidates compete for a place among our scholars.
If you wish to join the Society, please sign the enclosed contract and return it to your patron no later than the last day of Winter of Eleven. Entrance trials will begin in spring.
We wish you the very best of luck.
Regards,
Elder G. Quinn
Proudfoot House
Nevermoor, FS”

At the bottom of the page, in a hurried black scrawl, was a brief message:

“Be ready.”

J.N.

Morrigan signed it, knowing who will be waiting for her like he promised in the note Mr Jones her…. But for some reason morrigan doesn’t even remember meeting Mr jones. ____________________________________________

Chapter 2

Summary:

Jupiter north comes to dinner

On Eventide night, even the streets of dull, conservative Jackalfax came aliveThe sky would be lit up with fireworks and children would be running down the roads yelling and playing games, while their parents would be busy with making dinner with a glass of wine.

The blackened Skyfaced Clock loomed above the celebrations. At midnight it would fade to the color of Morningtide—a pale, promising pink—and Spring of One would bring a fresh beginning for everyone. The night was uncommon and crowded with possibility.
For everyone, that is, except Morrigan Crow. Morrigan’s night held only one possibility. Like every other child born precisely eleven years ago on the last Eventide, when the clock struck midnight she would die—the eleven short years of her doomed life complete; her curse finally fulfilled.

The crows were celebrating. Not because it was just nearly the start of a new age, it was because after today Morrigan would be dead.

Morrigan knew, they were trying to be sad for her but morrigan knew better she knew her father, she knew he hated her she knew he favoured Elizabeth and it wasn’t even because she wasn’t cursed like morrigan it’s because Elizabeth is every bit of their mother with her long honey blonde locks and her perfect golden brown eyes. Morrigan knew her father hated her because she looked like him and she knows it’s haunted him every time he looks at her.

Just as she was wondering if anyone would say a few words about her, Corvus cleared his throat. Morrigan, Ivy, Elizabeth, and Grandmother looked at him, their hands pausing halfway to their mouths with forks full of lamb and peas.

“I, er, just wanted to say,” he began, and then seemed to lose momentum. “I wanted to say…”

Ivy’s eyes misted over and she squeezed his hand encouragingly. “Go on, dear.”

“I just…” He tried again and cleared his throat loudly. “I wanted to say that… that the lamb is very good. Cooked to perfection. Nice and pink.”

There were murmurs of agreement around the table, and then a clinking of cutlery as everyone carried on eating

Ivy then for some reason got up and Morrigan couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling of annoyance.

“Well, if nobody minds,” Ivy, dabbing her mouth prettily with her linen napkin.

“I’ve not been a “member of this family for very long, but I thought it might be appropriate for me to say something tonight.” This is going to be bad and even Elizabeth thought the same thing by that look she was giving to morrigan

“Corvus wasn’t sure if I should say anything, but I know Morrigan won’t mind.…”

“Go on,” Morrigan said. “It’s fine. Really, go ahead.”
Ivy beamed at her (for the first time ever) and, emboldened, stood up from her seat.

“Corvus and I are having a baby”

The room fell silent; then a great smash came from the doorway as the maid dropped a platter. Corvus tried to smile at his young wife but it came out as a grimace.
“Well?” Ivy prompted them. “Aren’t you going to congratulate us?”

“Ivy” Liz said with a flicker of anger in her voice “maybe just maybe get some common sense and maybe just say something like at a less sensitive time. Maybe a couple of weeks after I lose my only sister” Liz was yelling now and Morrigan couldn’t help but be proud because Liz never did that.

“But this is a good thing! Don’t you see?” Ivy said, looking to Corvus for support. He squeezed the bridge of his nose as if warding off a migraine.

“It’s like… the circle of life. One life may be snuffed out, but another is being brought into the world. Why, it’s practically a miracle!”

Grandmother groaned faintly.
Ivy was relentless. “You’ll have a new grandchild, Ornella. Liz will have a new sibling. Corvus will have a new daughter. Or a son! Wouldn’t that be lovely? A little boy, Corvie, you said you’d always wanted a boy. We can dress him in little black suits to match his daddy.”

“Yes. Very Delightful,” Liz replied unconvincingly. “But maybe you and dad can celebrate later.”

“But… Morrigan doesn’t mind. Do you, Morrigan?”

“Mind what?” Morrigan asked “That in a couple of hours I'm going to be dead and all you can talk about is my new replacement. So no I don’t mind ivy carry on please do” Morrigan could feel herself getting angry because of the ash taste at the back of her mouth.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake!” Grandmother hissed, glaring down at the table at her son. “We weren’t going to bring up the D-word.”
“It wasn’t me,” Corvus protested. “It was Morrigan” ivy argued, It a petty voice.

“Yes Grandmother I did say “dead” because it true that all youth mean telling me for years so what the problem now” remarked morrigan

“Well, just stop it. You’re giving your father a headache.”

“Ivy said ‘snuffed.’ That’s much worse.” Elizabeth muttered. Rolling her eyes
“

“Does anybody even care that I am with child?” shouted Ivy, stamping her foot.

“Doesn’t anybody care that I’m about to die?” Morrigan shouted in return. “Can we please talk about me for a minute?”

“I told you not to say the D-word!” boomed Grandmother.

There were three loud knocks on the front door. Silence fell.

“Vultures. Trying to get the scoop, are they?” said Grandmother. She pointed at the maid.
“Send them away with your most contemptuous sneer.”
Moments later they heard a brief, murmured conversation, followed by the fall of heavy boots coming up the hallway, the maid’s timid protests echoing close behind. A man appeared in the doorway, silhouetted by light
A tall man with wide shoulders stood before her. His face was half-hidden by a thick pink woollen scarf; the rest was a scatter of freckles, sharp blue eyes, and a long, broad nose. He looked at Morrigan with open confusion before quickly hiding it behind a huge smile. He wore a vibrant pink coat over an orange suit with silver buttons—stylish, though slightly askew, as if he’d just come from a formal event and had begun undressing on the way home. Pinned to the lapel of his coat was a small golden “W.”

“Hello, youse to” he’s eye darted to both morrigan and Elizabeth’s . They both didn’t speak.

“Sorry I am late.Was at a party on a remote island in Jet-Jax-Jaida. Got chatting to the dearest old man, a trapeze swinger—a fascinating chap, once swung over an active volcano for charity—and I forgot all about the time difference. Silly old me. Never mind, I’m here now. Got your things ready? I’m parked out front. Are those parsnips? Lovely.”

“I’m still wearing my hat, aren’t I? Goodness me. How rude.” He arched an eyebrow at his dumbfounded audience.

“Don’t be alarmed; I’m ginger.”
Elizabeth nearly choked on her drink and groaned out laughing “That’s an understatement” Morrigan froze she was getting ready for him to yell at her but for the first time that night she was shocked because he didn’t
Yell ,he didn’t even look angry. He just smiled and laughed with her.

Morrigan got out of her shock and managed to say “Um,” with all the eloquence she could muster. “Who are you?”

“Jupiter.” He looked around the room for signs of recognition.

“Jupiter North? Jupiter North of the Wundrous Society? Your patron? And I am here to pick up Elizabeth here as well!”

Jupiter did she know that name. She didn’t think she did but something at the back of her mind was telling her she did.

“No” Morrigan snapped at him “leave Liz alone please” she said in a much calmer voice.

“Morrigan” Liz hissed

“what are you doing? “Liz you do realise this man, this very weird man we both have no idea who he is. He is saying let be quote (I am Jupiter North of the Wundrous Society? Your patron? And am here to pick up Elizabeth here as well) you know how creepy that is!” Before Jupiter could say anything Corvus beat him to it “Preposterous!” “Bless you,” said Jupiter as he tried to explain to Morrigan that he’s not some creep and all he really wanted to do is help her and Elizabeth . “That is quite enough!” spluttered Corvus, rising from his chair. Finally, Morrigan thought, maybe just once Corvus was being a parent. “You are nobody’s patron. Leave my house immediately, before I call for the town guard.” Jupiter smiled as if tickled by the threat. “I am somebody’s patron, Chancellor Crow. I am the patron of this slow-moving but otherwise delightful child. It’s all legal and aboveboard, I can assure you. She signed the contract. I have it right here. So, Morrigan—you have to know that I’m not a creep. I promise you, I’m not going to kidnap you and your little sister.” Morrigan laughed, and she didn’t know why. He whipped out a wrinkled, fold-creased, shabby piece of paper that Morrigan recognized. Jupiter pointed at her signature, complete with the tiny black crow covering the accidental ink smudge. But that was impossible. “I don’t understand,” said Morrigan, shaking her head. “I watched it burn to ashes.” “Oh, it’s a Wundrous contract.” He waved it around without care. “It creates identical copies of the original as soon as you sign it. That does explain the singed edges, though.” “I never signed that,” said Corvus. Jupiter shrugged. “I never asked you to.” “I’m her father! That contract requires my signature.” “Actually, it only requires the signature of an adult guardian, and—” “Wundrous contracts are illegal,” said Grandmother, at last finding her voice, “under the Misuse of Wunder Act. We ought to have you arrested.” “Well, you’d best do it quickly, I’ve only got a few minutes,” said Jupiter, sounding bored. He checked his watch.
“Morrigan, I need you to trust me so Elizabeth will trust me.” He reached his hand out, hoping Morrigan would take it. He gave Morrigan a kind smile. Morrigan had a quick look at Liz, who gave her a small nod. “Fine—but I’m not holding your hand. Liz, come here please.”
Jupiter smiled again, but this time he meant it.
“I think you’re going to get along with a friend of mine.”

“Wait you do know she cursed right she gonna die in a couple of hour ”

“Well that’s blunt Elizabeth but don’t worry just trust me and you older sister will be ok” Jupiter replied

“Corvus slammed his fist on the table. Morrigan flinched.

“This is intolerable! Who do you think you are, waltzing into my home and upsetting my family with this nonsense?”

“I told you who I am.” Jupiter spoke patiently, as if to a senseless child.

“My name is Jupiter North.”

“And I am Corvus Crow, the state chancellor of Great Wolfacre and a ranked member of the Wintersea Party,” declared Corvus, puffing up his chest. He was on a roll now.

“I demand that you go at once, and allow me to mourn the death of my daughter in peace. And you will not be taking my youngest daughter—ever!”

“Mourn the death of your daughter?” echoed Jupiter.

He took two deliberate steps toward Corvus and paused, his eyes glittering. The hairs on Morrigan’s arms stood up. Jupiter’s voice dropped an entire octave, cold and quiet with an anger that was terrible to behold.

“Could you possibly mean the daughter standing right in front of you? The one who is demonstrably, superbly, brilliantly alive?”

Corvus sputtered and pointed at the clock on the wall, his hand shaking with outrage.

“Well, give it a few hours!”
Jupiter gave Corvus a disgusted look, then turned back to Morrigan and Liz. His voice softened to a near whisper.

“Well, Morrigan… it looks like you didn’t expect your so-called death to arrive three hours early.”
Liz tightened her grip on Morrigan’s arm just as they both felt something powdery fall onto their faces. Wiping it away, they looked up to see the light fixtures shaking and cracks appearing in the plaster. The bulbs flickered and buzzed. The windows rattled. A faint smell of burning filled the air.

“What’s that?” Liz whispered, squeezing Morrigan’s hand tighter.

“What’s happening?”
Jupiter bent down close to them.

“Do you trust me?” he murmured.
Liz—and even Morrigan, surprising herself—answered without thinking.

“Yes.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

“All right.” He looked Morrigan in the eye as the floor trembled beneath their feet.

“I’m going to take that curtain down in a moment. But whatever you see out there, you mustn’t be afraid. They can tell when you’re afraid.”
Morrigan swallowed hard.

“They?”

 

“Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine. Yes? No fear.”

“No fear,” Liz repeated firmly.
And just before the curtain fell, Morrigan noticed Jupiter was trying to fake their death.
And against morrigans, better judgment… she was was starting to like him this very strange colourful man
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