Publisher's Synopsis
On Walpurgisnight of 1365, Margerite bears her child into grave danger: Graf Günther, a leader among the dark Order of Light-Bearers, has prepared a blasphemous anti-baptism for the babe the Order believes to have been sired in spirit by Lucifer. Fearful for her child, Margerite accepts, against the wishes of her heart, Graf Heinrich's marriage proposal, enlisting his unknowing aid against the Order.
Even in Heinrich's castle, however, she is not free of the Light-Bearers: Nikolaus, Heinrich's younger son, is a member, and designated by the Order to teach Margerite, whom they believe to be one of themselves. Bertram, meanwhile, is called to abandon her by news of the death of his father, the Landgraf of Niederwald, which leaves his lands in the control of his brother's wife Ortlieb, one of the greatest and most evil among the Order of Light-Bearers. He resolves to take his true name, Bernhardt von Niederwald, again, and rescue his people from Ortlieb, whatever the cost to himself.
When Heinrich falls suddenly ill and his heir, Christoph, is revealed to be possessed by a demon, the only hope Margerite and her child have is to flee the castle with only her companion Eva and Christoph's squire to aid them, travelling towards Niederwald after Bernhardt. There, Margerite poses as a maidservant to seek out proof of Ortlieb's black sorcery - but Ortlieb discovers her, stealing Margerite's child with the intention of raising him as her own. Margerite and her companions must hunt them down, Margerite at last fighting in single combat against Ortlieb for her son and the soul of the man she loves.
