CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY

At least the Northphalian kingdom is safe. Princess Jeanne will be crowned queen. After assessing that Little Jeanne was no longer a threat, they let her go. But for now, Filomena and Jack still have a mission to fulfill.

Not only is the castle waiting in Westphalia; a person waits, too. Jack and Filomena walked in silence away from that fateful hill, and now, as they approach, they see a figure—a woman—in the castle’s open doorway who stands calm as a still lake.

“Are you finding this unnerving at all?” Jack whispers as they near.

The truth is, the woman isn’t unnerving. There’s something instantly soothing about her to Filomena. Her shock of white hair, her flowing robes, the warm, welcoming aura of her presence. Filomena’s prized possession was just obliterated, and this person feels like a vibe shift.

“I think I like her already,” Filomena whispers back.

“Let’s withhold any judgments until we know who she is,” Jack responds.

Despite her intuition, Filomena knows he’s right. Queen Olga’s spies are everywhere.

“Hello Princess Eliana and Jack the Giant Stalker,” the woman says as they get closer. From far away it was impossible to measure her height; the doorframe to the castle is shockingly large. But at this distance, Filomena sees she is extremely tall.

“I go by Filomena, actually,” she says. “At least, that’s what my friends call me.” She still hasn’t worked out how to deal with the whole double-name thing. Another complication of living in two worlds.

“Well, Filomena, let us hope that we shall be friends. I will call you by whatever name you like.”

“And what should we call you?” Jack inquires, bowing.

“Mary,” she says.

Something appears to click in Jack’s head when she says this. “Mary Contrary?” he asks.

“Quite,” Mary answers. “I was hoping you would be coming by,” she says to Filomena. “I have much to discuss with you.”

“Pardon me if this is rude to ask,” Filomena says, “but who are you?”

“That’s an entirely logical question for someone in your position to ask, Filomena. Not rude at all. Logic is never rude.”

“Not sure that’s true,” Jack mutters. Filomena almost laughs. She assumes he must be remembering the time when Rosie told him that, statistically speaking, he’s below the average height of a hero.

“Why don’t you come to my office and you can ask me all the questions you’d like?” Mary asks.

Filomena glances at Jack, who looks slightly suspicious. He shrugs, and they follow Mary through the castle and up several flights of stairs to her office.

The office itself is unlike any Filomena has been in. Both her parents’ offices are quite minimalist—Rosie would love them, come to think of it—with blond wood desks, stacks of papers, and large windows that bathe the room in light and look out onto lemon trees.

But Mary Contrary’s office is something else altogether. Office doesn’t seem like the right word for it exactly. It looks like someplace an alchemist might conduct their work. Large stone arches curve across the ceiling. There are walls of bookshelves with ladders to reach the highest books, right up to the ceiling. And it’s so dark! The only window is stained-glass. Everything looks ancient.

“Wow,” Filomena says. “Have you read all these?”

“The books?” Mary responds. “Most of them, yes. But I always keep a shelf of unread books, just in case.”

Filomena is in awe. She walks around, looking at the spines. Heaven!

“You’re welcome to borrow any you like,” Mary says.

“Really? That’s amazing!”

“You will be living here soon enough, after all,” Mary continues.

That stops Filomena a little cold, her excitement dying down a bit. “Right.” Brought back to Earth, she recalls the reason they’re at the castle. To be crowned, hopefully, and for whatever lies beyond.

“Sit, sit,” Mary says, motioning to the red leather couch in front of her desk. Filomena and Jack take seats side by side. Mary Contrary sits facing them, perched on a thronelike chair, which seems to be her desk chair. “Even after the prime minister made that horrid announcement about you not taking your responsibilities seriously, I knew you’d come to claim your place on the throne. And then, when you made an announcement? Genius! You’ve been the talk of the kingdoms ever since. It’s caused a real stir. Reignited a lot of hope. I saw some of your mother in you, with that pluck.”

Filomena feels flushed hearing this. And proud.

“How did you do it, by the way?” Mary asks. “Did you break into an ogre’s lair? Take one of the talking mirrors?”

There’s a pause.

“Actually, we sort of DIY’d it,” Filomena says.

Mary looks confused.

“She’s being modest,” Jack chimes in. “Filomena created a talking mirror herself.”

Now Mary looks shocked. “You created a talking mirror? I’ve never heard of such a thing!”

“Zera told me she thought I might be able to, since I—” Filomena cuts herself off. Suddenly she feels uncertain how many details she should share of herself with this person. After all, she doesn’t even know who Mary Contrary is. She’s filled with sadness, though, thinking of Ira Glassman belted at her waist, smashed to bits.

“Would you mind telling us who you are now?” Filomena asks.

Jack looks relieved that she asked. Filomena gets the sense that he hasn’t been totally put at ease yet. His hand’s been resting close to his hip, where his Dragon’s Tooth sword is sheathed, this whole time.

“Of course, darling. So I’m Mary Contrary, as you know, but, more important, I’m the regent of Westphalia. After your parents died—rest their souls—I was put in charge of the kingdom on a strictly administrative level. You see, I was your parents’ adviser during their reign. They found my contrary nature very helpful in the decision-making process. But I was also their close friend.”

Filomena sees Jack relax, his hand coming away from his hip.

“You knew my parents?” she asks, surprised.

“Yes, my dear, I knew them very well. Your mother’s and father’s deaths were the greatest griefs of my life. They were like family to me.”

Filomena feels she might cry, hearing this. A swell of relief rises in her chest. Abruptly, and without thinking, she stands and runs to hug Mary. Mary smells very nice, like a garden.

“Oh, oh my,” Mary says, flustered. “My dear,” she says, stroking Filomena’s hair affectionately.

Filomena pulls away and wipes her eyes. Apparently she’s started crying. How many times will she cry today? That’s not the way to start ruling a kingdom. But then again, she is only twelve.

“Can you tell me what they were like?” Filomena says, sitting back down on the couch next to Jack. She’s always been hesitant to ask people about her parents, worried that she’d hear rumors or something untrue. But if there’s anyone to ask, it seems like it’s this woman. Filomena’s distanced herself from the thought of her birth parents almost every time they enter her mind. But being in their castle now, where she was born and where they lived, she’s curious. She’s ready to hear about them.

“They were the best kind of people. Such full, open hearts. They loved to laugh, to be in each other’s presence. They would hold fabulous open dinners at the castle once a fortnight, where any citizen from the kingdom was welcome to drop in. They were beloved, and they loved Westphalia. And they loved you, Filomena, even though they barely got a chance to know you.”

Filomena tries not to cry again, but she can’t help it. She’s leaking. Jack puts his arm around her. Hearing about this set of parents is making her think, too, of her adoptive parents in North Pasadena. How long has she been gone? How is her mother doing now? She wishes she could hug her mom. It all feels like so much pressure, all of this. And now she has to run this kingdom?

“Mary,” Filomena says, “I’m scared. Even if I do become queen, I’m so young. How can I run a kingdom?”

“I’m sure this is all very overwhelming for you, Filomena,” Mary continues. “I know you grew up in the mortal world and have only recently learned about your involvement in our world. But already you’ve done such a tremendous amount of good. I’ve read the papers. People across kingdoms have told me about your bravery, how you’ve helped them. You have a lion’s heart, and that is what the ruler of a kingdom needs. Whatever else you need to know, I’ll be happy to guide you through. I’ll be here with you. And trust me, I’ve been helping to run this kingdom for decades—besides during Queen Olga’s takeover. I know what I’m doing.” She winks.

Filomena feels the tears recede, replaced by something ferocious and daring. Her heart is pumping. She wipes her cheeks.

“Now, I know this is all moving quickly, but I think that it’s best to work fast on your coronation,” Mary says. “The sooner, the better, as far as the ogres are concerned. To give you a brief update: Since you broke Queen Olga’s spell, the reign of terror has ceased, but ogres still patrol the borders of Westphalia, and things have been known to get messy. As soon as they get wind you’re here … Well, I don’t want to know what that will look like. Time is of the essence. We can get some rest this evening, but a ceremony first thing tomorrow might be the ticket. How does that sound?”

Filomena’s taking it all in. Ogres on the borders. The kingdom still in danger. Queendom tomorrow. Can she handle this?

She has to. “Good,” she tells Mary.

Filomena smiles weakly at Jack, hoping her false confidence is convincing. Ready or not, queendom comes.

But before she can get too comfortable with the idea, a loud crash sounds from the bowels of the castle. Jack sniffs the air. Then a stricken look washes over his face.

“Ogres.”