“Do you need anything? Amelia, right? Can I call you Amelia?”
“Of course. And no, I’m okay, thank you.”
“Okay.”
Amelia smiled, sweet and knowing, which rubbed her the wrong way because she was so lost. “This is not a courtesy visit, I assume.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Then what is it? I don’t mean to be rude, but why are you guys here?”
Amelia sighed, looking for the best words. Daphne had a hint that she wasn’t the type to just run her mouth, which she appreciated. So she kept taking cups and setting them all on a tray, waiting.
“What did Hunter tell you about his job?” Amelia asked after a minute.
“That he’s a sleep therapist.”
Amelia nodded, satisfied. “That is actually rather close.”
“Close to what?” Daphne snapped. “I keep getting half explanations at best, and it’s getting really frustrating.” She closed her eyes, taking a long breath in. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t take it on you when it’s him.”
Amelia chuckled. “I know the feeling. When I first met Dorian, there were times where I wished I could smash a brick over his head.”
“Oh, my God, yes! It’s like giving a straight answer hurts him.”
“That’s them. And it’s why I’m here.”
“To keep me from strangling him?”
She waved the idea off with a graceful sweep of her hand. “Oh, no, no. Go ahead, he probably deserves it. No, I’m here for two reasons. To rein in Dorian’s occasional dramatic spiral, and to ask you one thing.”
“Okay.”
“Do you feel, deep inside you, that you can trust him? A trust that goes beyond logic, beyond fear. A trust that lives in your bones, not your brain?”
Daphne stared at this woman, basically a complete stranger, who’d just put into words what she’d been struggling with rationalizing. And because of it, it didn’t matter who she was, or why she was there, or that she really was not the type to talk about her most intimate things. All she could do was nod. “Yes.”
Amelia smiled, so open and wide she found herself wanting to do the same. “You want to remember that. They have a way to test both your patience and trust and make a mess.” Her next words sounded almost ominous. “When it comes to him, always trust your heart.”
Amelia left her side just as the kettle let out a shrill scream. Daphne turned her focus to the tea and cookies–because, of course, bottomless Hunter would still devour them, despite having eaten half the restaurant less than an hour ago. And when she returned to the living room, tray in hand, she wasn’t carrying only drinks. She carried the unshakable resolve to understand everything, tonight.
She passed the cups, sat in the other armchair close to Hunter’s. “Anyone care to explain what is going on?” she asked to no one in particular.
Dorian sipped his tea and nodded his approval for the brew. “An oneiric contamination had been detected in a civilian zone. Devils were dispatched. And here we are.”
To that, Hunter swore viciously.
Amelia rolled her eyes.
And Dorian remained the incarnation of relaxed. “But Amelia, darling, it was the fastest way to explain. It saved us all a tedious buildup,” Dorian reasoned. “Of course I could have phrased it differently,” he said, answering to something only he heard. “But now everything is out in the open, and we can discuss it. Fast, because time’s not exactly in abundance.”
And as for her... Daphne set the cup on the table. Rested her palms neatly on her knees to avoid hitting someone. And looked at Dorian straight in the eyes. “If someone doesn’t give me a buildup, tedious or otherwise, you,” she said to Dorian, “and you,” to Hunter, “need to start walking out of here real fast.”
“Ah, that’s the spirit,” Dorian said with a slow nod, his tone as smooth as clotted cream, looking highly entertained and not even a little worried. Which made her all kinds of pissy.
“Alright, alright.” Hunter shot to his feet, ran his fingers through his hair, and then wiped a hand on his face. “Look. You know I told you I am a sleep consultant.”
“I knew it was bullshit,” she accused.
