Maia swiped her access card, beep, green light, open door, phew. It hadn’t been a sure thing by any stretch, but they were in, and the real work could start. Janya slipped past her, a pat to the shoulder his only sign of approval. Approval for her months of grind to get into the company, …
Merrisa had loved the summer weekends when she was sent down to Grandma’s. In that pretty cottage on the edge of a postcard village, she felt more seen, more heard, than at any time in the showpiece London house her parents called home. Not that they were home much, hence the constant need for Merrisa …
He was easy enough to ignore on the train, sitting near enough to keep an eye on me, but not encroaching. If I'd had a good book, I daresay I could have blocked thought of him entirely. Unfortunately, all I had was the 'improving stories' Aunt Diddy had pressed into my hand that morning, and …
“Well, since I’ve been so … inconvenienced … I think I should be entitled to a little … compensation.” The customer’s oily smirk made Jessia want to heave. She gave him her most patently fake, pinch-lipped smile. “Certainly, sir, would you prefer a sample pack of our top-selling perfume, or a five-dollar gift certificate?” He …
"So I've decided to promote Rupert instead of Johanna." Aaron wound up with a plastic smile. Lee didn't smile back. They sat, stone-faced, as the silence stretched and Aaron began to squirm. Then they said. "You decided. Perhaps you'd like to begin with explaining how that is your decision to make." Aaron spluttered, but Lee …
“He said he didn’t know how to skate.” Becky glared into her chai latte as her friends stared. “He’s from, where, Norway?” “Denmark.” Justine shrugged. “Same difference. I can’t believe he came out with such an obvious lie, and I even more can’t believe you fell for it.” That was unfair, and Becky retorted. “You’re …
Shanthi looked across the table at the two people interviewing her. Both a good ten years younger than her, probably closer to fifteen, both looking confused by her answer. The one who'd introduced themselves as Yan, with they/them pronouns, asked. "Why, if you're coming in as a strategist, would you be spending time on the …
Life has been blessedly quiet after the nightshade episode. School is back and the new little coven has been introduced to a few other witches in the area as potential apprentices. There’s no way I could take all of them on, I barely cope with Sarah and Ben. Even sour-sauce Emma has a mentor in …
"Are you expecting some sort of apology?" Dina snorted at Damien's question. "From you? I may as well set up an airport for pigs." "What's that supposed to mean?" "You stood me up on prom night. Did you apologise? No. You abandoned me in the middle of Rome, a strange city, among a language I …
“We’ve been acquired!” Heads in the office popped up as Alistair burst through the doors, waving a bottle of champagne. “I didn’t know the company was for sale.” Whoever spoke didn’t sound too happy. Alistair didn’t seem to notice as he all but danced towards the kitchen area. “We weren’t but the EMX guys made …
The DNA of Stories 