Page 137 of A Fae in Finance
He didn’t deserve any more of my energy, butIdeserved to tell him what I needed to. I squared my shoulders. “Jeff, you’re the most incompetent boss I’ve ever had the displeasure of working for. You communicate like youwantus to be scared and confused, you make up problems to feel important, and you haven’t brought in a single client because you’re too busy arguing with them about their daughters. You’re clearly not invested in my success, and, other than trapping me in Faerie, I don’t think you’ve given me anything I’ll remember.”
I hoisted my backpack onto my shoulder.
“I quit. Effective immediately.”
His mouth dropped open.
I didn’t wait to see anyone’s response. I left my computer on the desk, turned my back on the team, and kicked my chair away so hard it spun behind me.
I crossed our floor to Sahir’s desk, where he sat with empty chairs on either side of him. I glared at his teammates, who had the gall to stare unabashedly back at me. “Sahir,” I said quietly. He looked up; his eyes were so wide I could see white all around his irises, and he’d gripped his desk until the particle board had splintered.
“I did not want to interrupt,” he whispered. “But I felt a lot of pain. Are you harmed?”
“I’m fine,” I said, a little hoarse. “I just quit, is all.”
His shoulders relaxed, and he stood up, too close to me for an office setting. “Should we leave?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I’ll go home without you,” I said. “I don’t need to disrupt your day. But let’s eat dinner with Lene and Gaheris after work.”
A lock of his hair had escaped its bun—it curled against his temple, the tip sprouting a small green leaf. I put a hand to his face and brushed the leaf behind his ear. “I’ll see you soon,” I said, and stepped away, still staring daggers at his teammates.
With that, I left the Tartarus building for the last time. I waited for the crushing weight of regret, but it didn’t come.
I meandered uptown, taking in the noises and smells of New York City on a winter morning. I let the sun warm my cheeks, the top of my head, the tip of my nose. I looked into the windows of the antiques stores and restaurants and clothing stores, staring at the uniform faces in their muted palette of human colors.
A man bumped into me on 50th Street and started shouting. “It’s like the invasion of the body snatchers,” he yelled. “With all the bumping and grabbing. If you think you can take my body, you’re crazy, lady!”
“Why would I want your body when I have mine?” I yelled back, fighting a smile. His shouts followed me for the next few blocks.
I’d missed this city so much.
I almost went back to Faerie immediately, but when I passed 54th, I turned east instead. Thea would be working at home.
Though it had been three months, her doorman recognized me and let me in with a smile. I took the elevator up to her floor and then stood on the beige carpet outside her door for several minutes.She wants to see you, I reminded myself. The flutters in my stomach didn’t seem so sure.
I knocked on the door.
“Hello?” she called out, sounding surprised.
Of course she was surprised; it was midmorning on a workday.
“It’s me,” I said, sounding hoarser than I expected.
“Me?” she repeated, her voice closer now. “Who’s—” as she opened the door.
She stood in the doorway, half of her body behind the door, and her jaw dropped. “Miri?” she shrieked, flinging her arms out to hug me and instead launching herself into the still-open door. “Ow,” she added.
I stepped inside and threw my arms around her. “Thea,” I said, unable to do anything but take in the feel of her squeezing me.
“Oh my god, you aren’t dead,” she said, burying her face in my shoulder. I felt wetness seeping through the fabric of my shirt, and then her body began to shake. I held her tighter.
“Thea, Thea,” I said, stroking her hair back from her forehead. “Are you okay?”
“Okay?” she repeated. “No, I’m not okay, Miri! You’ve been avoiding me for three months! Where have you been? Are you mad at me? Areyouokay?”
I kicked the door shut behind me and held her by the shoulders. “Mad at you? Thea, of course I’m not mad at you.” I led her to her giant blue couch and sat us both down.
She wiped at her nose with the back of one hand. “How is thatof course, Miri? Where the hell did you go? You barely answered my calls, and when I went to your apartment you didn’t even answer the door.”
