AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The staff kitchen is at the end of the hall, past the door to her office, which is open and empty.
I can hear her talking in the kitchen with one of the other column writers.
Slowing down, I identify the other voice as belonging to Patrick Hardin, my only real competition when it comes to the features editor job that’s going to be up for grabs soon.
He’s a lot more forward than I am, so he’s probably going to get it.
I open the door and step into the kitchen.
Patrick looks up and nods at me, his gaze not meeting mine. I nod back out of courtesy.
We’re not the best of friends, but we’re not exactly enemies. That’s likely because he doesn’t see me as a threat. No one ever does.
Divina’s head turns toward me. She smiles brightly and sets her mug down by the side of the sink.
“Sapphire Faris, just the woman I was looking for. Come with me.”
She moves away from the sink and leads me out of the room.
Thankfully, she’s a professional.
I don’t think I could have handled being ripped apart for my timekeeping in front of Patrick.
There are only so many pitying looks a girl can take.
I don’t want to go back to Crystal Lake and have to admit to my parents that I failed at everything I came to Cressidan City to achieve. Mom is so proud of me for figuring out what I wanted and deciding on an actual career. Dad is, too, though he worries about both of his daughters being out in the world on our own.
I follow Divina into her office. The aesthetic is a weird mix of scary, and comforting. Her chair has a medieval look to it, with a high oak-colored back and rich purple velvet cushioning. The desk is big and covered in files and folders, with her laptop off to one side. The seat I sit on is plush and relaxing, but I’m too nervous to take the usual comfort from it.
“Finally!” Divina says as she sits down opposite me.
I smile back at her, trying to keep my lips steady.
I can feel a tremor under the surface.
She smiles back. “Okay. Now, you might be aware that Edward’s leaving us in a month …”
I nod, feeling my nerves double up. Edward’s the current features editor. Everyone heard about it when he handed in his notice last month.
“Well, I looked at your record, and Patrick’s.”
Finally, my nerves slip away. She’s clearly about to tell me Patrick has the job.
She knows us well enough to know we’ll both apply for it. She must want to give me the news before I can get my hopes up. Considering I knew he’d get it, those hopes were never anywhere close to up.
“Okay,” I say, when she doesn’t say anything else.
“You’re my choice, Saph. If I could pick anyone on my team for this, it would be you.”
I blink at her, not believing it. “I … Uh …”
“There’s just one problem,” she says, giving me a wry smile. “That aversion you have to going on location?”
I feel the color draining from my face.
She knows. Oh, God. She knows.
“Well, you have three days to get over it, because I need you to get on a private plane with Chaos Burning and deliver the interview of your career. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and if you show me you can do it, you’ve got the promotion.”
