Page 76 of A Fae in Finance
I leapt to my feet, snatching at my wet clothing like that would make it more comfortable, and yanked my boots on. “Can you zap us back to the Court?”
“Zap?” she repeated. She sat up, looking more baffled than a woman posing for a Jackson Pollock painting.
“Teleport us back to the—the Court—the castle—the—”
“It is not a castle,” she said, pushing to her feet. “It is a warren. And I cannot teleport. What magic would that even entail? The displacement of living beings on a molecular level? That sounds like a fantastic way to die.”
“Please,” I begged, voice low and hoarse, “can we please go back?”
She frowned but waved her hand and dissolved the magic dome around us. We didn’t speak again as she lifted me onto Sparkles, or as we rode back to the hill.
But when she helped me down from the saddle, she pressed her lips to my temple, a gesture so soft it nearly shattered me. I turned away from her and hurried into the Court, sodden clothes itchy and my heart pounding like I’d run a marathon. Or, more realistically, half a mile.
In my bedroom, I dashed to the computer and turned it on to the expected barrage of angry emails.
Levi and Jeff had gotten into a discussion about the valuation I’d sent over, and left me in CC.
Jeff had sent us a new email titledSEND OVER COUNTRY COUNTESS VALUATION MIRI ASAP THANKS.
Levi had replied:
Jeff, Miri’s still at the site visit. She sent the valuation in the emailCountry Countess Valuationat 1:23 this morning.
Jeff to Levi:
I need her to send me the valuation.
And then Levi back:
The valuation is attached in her initial email to us. Reattaching it here.
Jeff again:
She needs to be online.
Levi:
When she gets back I will let her know she needs to bring her phone next time.
Jeff:
I’m not paying her to go on day trips.
Levi:
Can I answer any questions about the valuation?
Jeff:
No just tell her to call me when she’s back.
I wondered why I’d been left in CC.
It didn’t seem like there was anything actionable for me to do at this point except stew in impotent rage. I drafted a quick note to Jeff so he’d know I was online and not traipsing about with woodland creatures—or kissing faerie women.
Jeff, I just got back from the site visit. They are using magic to build. The foundations are in place. It takes about an hour to travel there via horse. Miri.
I logged off the computer and lay down to sleep next to Doctor Kitten.
