A Tale Of Shadows (Wattys 2023) - REPLACED BY DIVINE ASCENSION

Chapter 3 - Surrender

As the new Queen, Melinda had quite a few things to do. The disarray within the country was still very much felt, which she could not ignore, especially when she passed by scorched homes and local buildings and gardens. Even in death, Hemingway spread his corrupt presence everywhere, forcing the bloody bid for The Spells From Shadows, that most wretched of texts, which Melinda knew very well even if she was not sure of its contents, to continue. She swore to herself that she would be the one to end it, one way or another, and one day, a solution came to her more easily than she had expected.

She woke up early the following day, as she always did. She left a note on the nightstand, informing her husband, who was in deep sleep, of her intentions. She was headed to the Jones household, arriving there rather quickly. When she stood before the front door at last, she knocked intensely, startling the still-sleeping family. Ingrid was the one to welcome her inside, warming her heart with her lively eyes and smile. 

"Hey, Melinda," she chirped. "Would you like a cup of tea? I have been brewing tea a lot recently, and I think I'm getting pretty good at it, but I'd still like to hear your opinion."

"Yes, I would like tea very much," Melinda said, smiling brightly.

"That is wonderful," Ingrid said before remembering something. "Oh, I forgot to ask. Why did you come here in the first place? I mean, I'm glad that you did, but I just thought I'd pose the question."

"Let us sit, and then I shall explain everything," Melinda said, heading towards the kitchen, which Ingrid could not help but participate in.

Just as they sat down, a commotion was heard in the anteroom as other members of the family approached the kitchen, woken up by sounds they could not discern. When they saw the Queen in their living space, they momentarily felt that they had not woken up at all, stuck in a dream within a dream, having no idea as to how they were going to wake up. However, when they joined her, and after they all sat in silence for several minutes, nothing changed. It made them realise that they had to do something about it.

"It is the Queen," Jack whispered to Finn, who was taken aback by his rigidness. "She must be here because of something you've done. Just behave properly, and try not to mess anything up the way you always do."

Melinda looked at Ingrid and Frank in shock, which surprised them for some reason. From that one admonishment, Melinda was able to discern exactly what was going on, and she could not help but feel pity for Finn. She had always thought that Jack and Alice were great parents, particularly the latter, with her seemingly lovely and sunny personality, but this changed everything. 

It must have been the book, she thought. The overwhelming human desire for power and control awakened intense conflict even among close allies, as was to be seen everywhere, so it must have been its influence, at least in part, but it still did not excuse them, which Melinda knew from firsthand experience. Noticing that she had wandered off into a long trail of thoughts, she began to speak:

"Good morning I bid to each and every one of you. You can clearly see that I have come here without my guards, and not only in friendship. This dirty matter is something that ought to be resolved quietly behind closed doors, for we do not want the fight for the book to continue. It makes me feel ashamed that you have it in the first place. I have always trusted you as some of the best people I have ever known, which says a lot because I know many people, but even you are weak and susceptible to the influence of corruption. I want it to end as soon as possible. But first, how come did you acquire the book in the first place?"

While listening to her speak, everyone from the Jones family was unsettled by how different Melinda had become, even Frank, for he could not have expected this from her. She was very regal, what with her dignity and appearance, aside from the expensive jewellery and cloth her body was adorned with, but at the same time, she was very cold, showing no emotion in her voice and holding her staff at the tip like she wanted to strangle someone. They could not fully believe that this was real.

"Will any of you answer my question before the night falls?" she asked in a lifeless, yet irritated voice.

"I am deeply sorry, my Queen," Jack said, clearing his throat. "I was merely thinking of how to formulate my answer. You see, we found the book in the woods a few months before you got kidnapped by Hemingway, and since we couldn't find its owner, we thought that we should keep it for ourselves, even as months passed in thorough research, leading us to discover the precise horrors of owning this book. 

It seduced us with the allure of power and wealth, as it's wont to do. Selling the acquired knowledge was a cheap excuse conjured by our hypnotized haze. In truth, we didn't really want the knowledge to be spread. We had the key to immortality and fame, and we'd be damned if we'd let someone else have it. What fools we were..."

He devolved into tears, and the rest of the family had hung their heads in shame a while ago, terribly unwilling to speak. She let them compose themselves for a few moments, after which she continued:

"Indeed. I am so terribly disappointed with all of you. The decisions you made were incredibly poor. Did you think that you could just rise to the higher ranks of our realm and no one would mind it? Also, why would you want a book that takes away either your soul or your life or both? Give it to me. It needs to be confiscated immediately."

"Why though?" Jack snarled. "Why do you have to have the book while the rest of us sit around like losers? Maybe you aren't so trustworthy after all."

"Jack, please..." Alice wept, but Melinda interjected before she could continue.

"Are you questioning my authority?" Melinda said darkly. "Do you doubt my sanity and intelligence, you, of all people? You can do as I say or be locked up in prison for your, I should remind you, highly severe treason, for the rest of your life. I think it to be a pretty fair choice."

 "Alright," Jack said, swallowing a lump in his throat, retrieving the book from his pantry at the speed of light.

"Thank you for your assistance," Melinda said with a wide smile as she received the book. "It is very much appreciated. I shall leave now."

However, as she tried to leave, she found it to be more difficult than she had expected. Her right hand clung tightly to the book, but she could not quite take it. She stared intensely at the horizon, dark magic taking a toll on her mind. She felt many emotions and thought many thoughts, but she could not do anything else until Jack woke her up from her trance by coughing loudly.

"Why are you acting in this manner?" he said brashly. "What do you need this book for, again?"

"I just let my mind wander," she snapped, swiftly snatching the book from his hands. "Your insolence tires me. It is not at all your duty to observe every little behaviour of mine. I need this for research, and nothing more. The very fact that you suggest otherwise offends me. Farewell, and we shall see each other in the royal court."

"You didn't even drink your-" Ingrid said, cut off by Melinda marching away and slamming the door behind her.

"Father, you chased her awa-" she pouted, cut off by her mother this time, which caused her to feel rather annoyed.

"Did you hear the news?" Alice said excitedly. "She invited us to the royal court, and she wants us to be there soon! This is splendid! The conflict's over, and we can rub this invitation in the faces of all of our enemies, especially Maria Thorne. That false friend shall learn once and for all just how rewarding not betraying those closest to you can turn out to be."

"Mother..." Ingrid said, remembering Melinda's strange behaviours. "I think you fail to see the bigger picture here."

Frank agreed.

"What?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Ingrid said with a deep sigh as everyone returned to their usual routine, wanting more than anything to believe that she was merely being paranoid.