Broken Wings & Tangled Webs

1 – ARACHNE

“Athena The Great does it again! Our favorite badass general took down an entire?—”

Absolutely not.

“Turn that racket down,” I barked into the employee breakroom, sending everyone scrambling to comply. They were always doing this shit. Ooh -ing and aah -ing over that wardrobe nightmare.

I couldn’t stand it.

Storming back toward my office, I ensured my heels echoed like landing bombs. Then slammed the door upon arrival for good measure. Why hide your emotions for the comfort of others? I wasn’t that femme, never had been, never would be.

When a knock sounded the second I settled behind my desk, I sweetened my tone, knowing it was my too-polite Succubus assistant. Jessica never deserved my wrath. “Ma’am, there’s a potential client call for you on line two?—”

Nodding, I began shooing her, reaching for the button to accept the hologram.

“Arachne, you don’t understand,” she rushed out, waving her arms to recapture my attention, magenta eyes wide. “Athena The Great is on hold.”

I recoiled as though the demon in last season’s heels slapped me. “Why?!”

“She’s interested in having Spun, and well, you , dress her for an upcoming Council Gala,” Jessica babbled, now backing toward the exit with arms raised in placation. Typical . “You told me to never turn down a high-profile client call, did you not?”

Way to spike my self-loathing, Jessica.

When the door clicked shut behind her, I groaned. Stomping my platforms into the rug in an attempt to dispel some of the frustration. In case you were wondering, it didn’t help.

Athena, the evil Titan Council’s general, had been a needle in my side since her spike in popularity; the femme had yet to wear a single acceptable ensemble in decades. I’d essentially built a high-rise, brick by spite fueled brick with each fresh press feature.

“You’re a fucking professional, Ara, act like it.”

Without giving myself an out, I schooled my expression and pressed the damned button.