Prologue

"There are two paths you can walk when it comes to magic. The path of light and the path of darkness." The Rectoress, Agnes Heart, took slow, purposeful steps across the line of girls who all had their heads bent low. "Walk the path of light and you'll live to serve others. Walk the path of darkness and others will live to serve you. Do you understand?"

The girls cowered in fear, not daring to utter a word. Agnes couldn't blame them though. Just yesterday, they were all taken from their respective homes on earth and brought to Wonderland - it wouldn't be much of a wonder for them anyway.

She stopped in her tracks. "I said, do you understand me?" she asked firmly.

"Yes ma'am," The nine girls chorused, still with their heads bent low. The group of seven year olds were all clad in simple red gowns - which looked like sleeping gowns - that had black hearts checkered all over them.

"You can refer to me as Lady Heart and the next time you speak to me, raise your heads high." Agnes was the embodiment of perfection. With hair as black as ebony, lips as red as blood and skin as white as snow. Her dress was made from the most magnificent red and gold silk. Every inch of the shimmering fabric was cut and sewn into perfection. Her hair was packed into a bun and on her head laid a golden crown studded with the most beautiful red jewels. She was indeed the Red Queen and one day, one of these girls will take her place. The only question is, who?!

"Throughout your time here," the rectoress continued. "I'll guide you through the path of darkness but you must know one thing, you can't succeed just by learning the path of darkness. I don't want you to see darkness as just a path of magic, I want you to become darkness."

"Lady Heart, why should we become darkness?" a blonde girl raised her head and asked. Agnes looked along the row of girls; Amelia, Emily, Ava, Poppy, Isla, Lilian, Evie, Briony and Alice. The girl who spoke was Alice.

A dark smile curled up the rectoress' red lips as she walked up to the little girl. "Because, my dear, people don't fear those that walk in darkness, they fear darkness itself."

"Then we're darkness?" Alice asked.

The Rectoress' smile broadened, she could feel it, this girl Alice has great potential and she was going to make sure that Alice uses her abilities to its fullest. "No, my dear. You see, there are kings, there are gods and there are devils but we, we are the Queens of them all. Queens of queens, Queens of Kings, Queens of gods, Queens of devils and most of all, we are the Queens of darkness.

And remember, all it takes for a pawn to become a Queen is one wild move. That'll be all for today. Tomorrow, the real work begins."