What an interesting story, and story telling style, @iskawrites. This story is told primarily in dialog, which is difficult to do. It can be hard for the reader to keep track of who is speaking. But you did well! (Note, however, that you stopped using quote marks in the last paragraphs.)

This story feels like the beginning of something. At the end, we don't really know what the evil thing is, or who Darian is, or what the book is about, or whether Cordelia will be successful. So you have opened many plotlines that cannot be resolved in the space of a short story. Have you considered writing a novel?

Thank you for sharing this piece in The Ink Well, @iskawrites. And thank you for reading and commenting on the work of other community members.