Page 118 of A Rivalry of Hearts
I twirl a cigarillo between my fingers as I stride down the hall and through the lobby. The sunlit streets come into view beyond the glass windows?—
“Monty?”
The voice has my lungs tightening, and I steel myself before turning around. At the other end of the lobby stands Daphne in seelie form. She’s dressed in loose trousers, a white blouse with puffed sleeves, and a mauve waistcoat. It makes me uneasy to see her like this. I haven’t witnessed her in her humanoid form since the night of the gala. After we returned from the tour, she was promoted from intern to editorial assistant. With our departments separate and me volunteering to manage as many book tours as I could, we haven’t seen much of each other. I wonder when she started favoring her seelie form.
I tuck my cigarillo behind my ear and shove my hands in my pockets, my posture slouched and casual. “Hey, Daffy.”
Her shoulders are hunched as she strolls toward me. It seems she still isn’t fully comfortable in this body. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Well, this is hello and goodbye. I got fired.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“You did warn me,” I say with an easy chuckle. I pivot on my heel. “Well, I’m off.”
“Wait, that’s all?”
I freeze at the frantic note in her voice, though I should have run from it.
She shifts from foot to foot as I turn back to face her. “Do you maybe want to…share a meal? Catch up?”
I saunter closer to her, then lift a hand. She flinches as I pat the top of her head. “Nice knowing you, Daffy Dear.”
Her eyes narrow to a glare. “You really do think of me as a pet, don’t you? Even when I look like this.”
I wink. “A really cute pet.”
“You’re an asshole.”
I give her a mock pout. “And here I thought we were friends. See you around.”
I exit the front doors before I can think better of my cold farewell. Before my chest tricks me into thinking it would be better to feel anything but a void. Before I can hope.
Daphne’s better off if she forgets about me.
And I’m better off if I forget about her.
