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

Chapter 9 - Obsession

Melinda would go on to remain heavily distressed in the coming days. She searched and searched for items she could sell off constantly, it being the best strategy she could think of to return some money to the royal vault. It was quite pathetic, and she could not deny it. Her greed and tyranny had robbed her not only of the regular money but also of all the gold and diamonds in the royal treasury. She could always command her slaves to go to unspoiled mines and dig relentlessly, but she doubted it would be of any use, for she was likely to know if there was any treasure, which she had heard nothing about. Perhaps it was for the better for her to get rid of some jewellery and dresses in her enormous collection, but it always saddened her to imagine someone else wearing them, bragging about getting clothes and accessories from the Empress herself. Alas, she had to do it, for there was no other way out.

While looking around the castle in the early morning hours for even more things to sell, she saw a woman she did not like at all walking toward her. The woman's steps were not too fast since she was old, but there was a certain determination she could see in them, as well as her glare, which did not waver for a single second. It was Susanne May once more, because of which she had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes. Although the woman never became a major nuisance, she could not help but be slightly annoyed by this fool. Raising an eyebrow, she let her thoughts wander, forming theories about what she could want from her.

Her eyes widened when Susanne slapped her across the face, whisper-shouting these words:

"How can you be such a treacherous woman?!"

That made Melinda even more confused. Susanne was familiar with most of her treacheries, and she was obviously not a particularly savvy individual, so she wondered what the person in question had found out about her this time and how.

"Look at this haughty woman!" Susanne continued, waving her hands in the air. "You didn't even stir. I must say I am amazed by your ability to feel no shame whatsoever. You thought that your ability to hide skeletons in your closet would work forever, but to your dismay, I accidentally found Malcolm with his robe today, and I was able to smell your touch from it. Your union was the most sinful one I have ever witnessed. You corrupted him and swayed him from his true path in life, and I refuse to believe that his death was an accident. I know you pushed the poor man down the stairs the moment he crossed you, and I pity him. Destiny denied his salvation, but I doubt he would have accepted it anyway. Minds like his are most certainly never rational."

Melinda scowled. "He may have been a weakling, but only I am allowed to acknowledge that fact. Besides, you know nothing about morality, and thus are not a proper judge on how it works on a dog, let alone thinking being with complex needs and desires."

Susanne snorted. "I am not a complete and utter idiot, so I believe that I am capable of understanding morality to some extent, although I am not an expert either. Tell me, where did you get the idea that I know nothing about ethics?"

Melinda shrugged. "Trust me, Lady May of Hertford province, you do not know as much as you think you do."

Her face turning red again, Susanne tried to come up with an answer, but then Melinda began to drag her to the study, and at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to find out what her intentions were. After what felt like an eternity, Melinda pushed her into the room with a tight grip on her right hand and slammed the door behind her, looking at her with no emotion in her eyes. Before she could register everything else, Melinda drew a heart and a circle in the air, clenching her hands immediately afterwards. Susanne clutched her heart, falling onto the ground, her body receiving numerous new commands, all of which forced it to cool down. She closed her eyes with a smile, taking slow breaths, not once getting distracted from the daydream Melinda had sent her mind into.

It was a false future with a deep tint of purple over it. Somehow, despite all odds, Susanne became Empress after Melinda's death and remained as young and fair as she used to be when everything began. She was holding her sceptre tight, sitting on her throne filled with gold and sapphires with the corresponding crown placed onto her head, wearing the appropriate dress as well.

Smirking, she rested her legs, on which she wore white high-heels, onto the head of many deceased people beneath her. Their blood flowed down the cold marble floor, and her eyes glistened with fascination upon seeing it. Blood of her enemies, the blood of the innocents, blood, blood, blood. Her excitement almost frightened her.

A moment later, she sensed the rich scent of roses in the air, letting out a deep sigh of ecstasy. The curtains in the throne room were not drawn and the windows were not closed, which allowed the sun to shine over her head and the birds to land on the windowsills and sing to her. It was the sight of a beauty she could not comprehend, and its mere presence made her want to comprehend it completely. She did not know that evil could be so beautiful and fulfilling.

She felt that way until Melinda woke her up from her daydream. She shuddered, incredulous at the fact that the vision, as unrealistic as it was, was created from the darkest desires contained within her heart. Melinda smirked at her with unbelievable smugness once more, leaning toward her and staring her in the eyes, gently placing her hands around her neck.

"Do you understand my point now?" she whispered serenely. "Your envy over what I have twisted your judgment. I did not even think that you would have fallen for my spell with such ease, but what can be expected from a person like you? Your heart is poisoned with evil yearnings, but you do not possess the skill, nor the ambition required to bring them to life. That is why you ought to keep your mouth shut as much as possible and never judge me again. I will always be better than you, and you can do nothing about it."

This statement of hers had angered Susanne so much that she went to disprove it right after waking up the following day. Luckily for her, oleanders grew in the garden of the Empress, so she plucked a few of them with her gloves made of lace and brewed tea out of them. She smirked to herself as she carried the teacup on a tray, that smirk turning into an innocent-looking smile the moment she opened the door to the dining room, where only Melinda resided at the moment, sitting at the top of the table with a scowl. With much care, Susanne walked over to where she was sitting, slightly surprised that there were no people to test the tea.

"What is this?" Melinda asked in a voice bereft of emotion, raising an eyebrow.

Susanne's smile widened. "I brewed your morning tea, Empress. I hope you will enjoy it."

"Oh, I will most certainly enjoy it," Melinda said upon briefly checking the smell out, after which she downed the entire cup in one go, causing Susanne's jaw to drop on the floor.

"This tastes like acid," Melinda remarked with a slightly burnt tongue and nothing more. "What did you put in here?"

Susanne's face went pale. "I put some oleanders in there... Are you sure you are feeling well, Madam?"

Melinda shrugged. "I am fine. I only have a burnt tongue and mild nausea. Did you think I would be foolish enough to consent to drink a type of tea that is widely known to be poisonous if I were capable of dying from it?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"I am suggesting that I tend to kill my enemies using this type of tea," Melinda said bluntly. "It is a bit embarrassing to know that they do not possess basic knowledge when it comes to plants."

Susanne shivered with her whole body. "But how did you survive drinking it?"

Melinda smirked. "Is it not obvious, Susanne? I am immortal, and I have obtained that power from-"

"Patrick Hemingway's book!" Susanne exclaimed, cutting her off.

"I am glad that you know something," Melinda said coldly. "Now leave."

Susanne left the room, the choices she would have to make weighing on her shoulders. Even though she did not have to be involved in the conflict, she could not give up on it now, especially now that she not only recognized the ghastliness of Melinda's soul but also the source of her power, which made her feel like an idiot for not having noticed her malice earlier. However, she had no time to waste with such pointless thoughts, thus she moved on to thinking about what to do next, which she knew would take her a while.