“Have you seen Ophelia?” She asked.
They all shook their heads, slightly confused.
“Right,” Maeve smiled charmingly, “carry on.”
She stuck her head in the dining hall and abruptly turned around on the ball of her foot when she realized it was vacant save for Alphard Mavros and a red-headed Pureblood girl she had met only a handful of times that was his age. Victoria was her name.
The grandfather clock in the foyer chimed a quarter to seven o’clock, meaning dinner would soon be served.
Maeve found Mal and Ophelia in the library. It was dimly lit, and she spotted them across the room between two rows of books. Mal was showing Ophelia something in a book.
A deep wave of nausea passed through her from watching them stand so close together alone. She observed them for a moment, hating the way he smiled down at Ophelia.
She backed away on the tips of her toes and walked across the marbled floor as quietly as possible, leaving the library.
She wanted to smack herself. And then smack him. And then really smack Ophelia.
“There you are.”
Maeve was drawn from her thoughts by Daniel Rodriguez.
“Mr. Rodriguez,” said Maeve, as politely as she could, given that she felt like punching something.
Mr. Rodriguez had a punchable face. Good enough at least.
“I was just on my way out, rather early morning tomorrow, but was hoping I’d run into you.”
“Still haven’t filled that Assistant Junior Undersecretary Position?” Maeve wondered if perhaps too much sass had slipped into her tone, but Daniel smiled at her.
“I’m so curious about you.”
Maeve cocked her head to one side. Daniel continued.
“Clement Parsons on the Committee of Experimental Charms said they offered you a higher position and higher pay. You didn’t take that either. Wilkinson at the Creation of Magic office said the same.”
“Perhaps you lot do not understand the common factor among you,” said Maeve.
“Come now,” said Daniel, laughing. “You joined the Bellator. The Double O is not so bad. Your Father loves it.”
Maeve knew that wasn’t completely true, but smiled sweetly at Daniel all the same. Her Father tolerated his job because of the power and position he held.
“I believe dinner is starting soon, Mr. Rodriguez. I’ll trust you can see yourself out.”
Maeve walked past him and back into the main hallway. She entered the Great Dining Room, where the table was set for nearly one hundred people.
A few had already taken their seats. The enchanted butterflies from the foyer fluttered their way into the room. Maeve found the card with her name on it, right of the head of the table next to her father. Mal’s name was beside her.
Maeve contemplated moving his name card further down on the table, away from her.
He arrived in the Hall a few moments later, with Ophelia on his arm. Maeve’s jaw snapped shut as she watched them walk across the room together.
Touching.
A group of women seemed excited to see Ophelia, and much to Ophelia’s dismay, pulled her away from Mal, who was heading towards Maeve.
She looked down at the name card on the other side of Mal’s.
“Of course,” muttered Maeve bitterly, snatching up Ophelia’s name card and swapping it with one much further down on the table.
