Page 17 of Fritillaria

“OK, so you know how I’ve told you about all those irritating mates in the studio…”

I catch Rachel up on the events of the past few days, on more of a surface level. She and I are very similar, and it will be nice to finally speak to someone with some sense.

Rachel is quiet for a few minutes after I finish my spiel.

“Do youlikeyour mates?” She surprises me by asking.

“What?”

“Do you like them? Are they attractive, or is there something wrong with them?”

“Umm…” I decide to work it through with her. She is clearly going somewhere with this. “Well, yeah. Matilda is sweet and feminine, just how I like women to be. She’s beautiful, with these bright golden eyes. Aspis is drop dead handsome, very masculine and powerful.”

I try not to swoon when I talk about them, but I am sure that my voice does get a tad bit swoony.

“How well do you know them?”

Rachel finishes the first layer of a gorgeous dark green polish.

“I don’t really know Aspis all that well. The party was the first time I had met him in person, but I had seen him on video calls and always thought he was hot. Especially hisvoice. I didn’t even realize he was half snake until I met him, but it doesn’t bother me. I actually think it’s pretty cool how he can change his height, and his scales are really pretty.

“Matilda… well, I’ve known her as long as the studio has been merged. She was an intern back then. We’ve worked together a lot, and to be honest I would have considered her more a friend than a coworker. I’ve always kind of had this pull to look after her.”

Rachel goes quiet again, and my anxiety spikes, wondering if I’ve said something wrong. She pauses her work on my nails, looking me dead in the eyes.

“I don’t see the problem.”

What the hell?

“Hear me out,” she continues. “I understand not wanting to have a big decision like this made for you, I totally get that. But if it is a decision that you would have come to on your own…? Girl, you are crazy about them both. Who’s to say you wouldn’t have just ended up with them naturally, anyway? I mean, maybe notbothof them… but isn’t this the best of both worlds?”

We don’t talk about it again after that. One of the other girls at the salon sits down with a client at the desk next to us and we all chat about a reality TV show.

What if Rachel is right?

If I was a better person, I could maybe get over all this. But what was I supposed to do? Take some dude at his word and upend my entire life?!

I need to sit on things at least. It’s barely been a couple days, maybe some time and space will help.

Chapter 16

Matilda

The apartment is shrouded in darkness when I wake up. Did the power go out? I always have my lamp on when I’m asleep.

It takes me a second longer to realize that my bed is a lot more warm and snuggly than normal. There’s also something heavy on my legs.

Oh.

Aspis.

I can’t help the smile that spreads over my face at the realization. I’m in bed with my mate.

He must have switched the lights off at some point.

I’m face first in his chest. He is just wearing his shirt from work, I wish he had taken it off altogether. The end of his tail has flicked around my ankles and it’s a warm and comforting weight.

My vision starts to adjust to the light and I can see that he is passed out, light snores coming from him if I listen closely. I’m still wearing my clothes from work, my bra digging into my waist. Wow, I must have fallen asleep during the movie.

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