Interviewer

“So, ahh...” I said. “What makes you want to work in channeling node services?” I restrained from straightening my unfamiliar tie. I tried to peak my hands in front of me like Mr. Jevol did, but my shaking fingers ruined the drama.

“Can I be honest?” Kathy asked. She tilted her head, sending carefully dyed curls tumbling over her deeply shadowed eyes. “This is just an in for me.” This did not surprise me at all. Kathy was dressed head to toe as a “goth chick” – her words, not mine – and had every indication of being the sort that romanticized necromancy in poetry every chance she got.

“An in...?” I asked. I knew perfectly well what she meant, of course. But Jevol had announced I was giving this interview precisely fifteen minutes before I'd come into work that day. He had insisted on the tie. I was looking for any excuse to draw things out while I tried to come up with things to say.

“You know. To get into necromancy,” Kathy replied. “Everyone says you have to start at the bottom in this gig. You don't get to to do the really cool stuff until you've done your time.” She shrugged. “Well I'm willing to do what it takes.”

“I see,” I said, attempting Jevol-level gravitas. “That hardly speaks to your skills in this particular department, Ms. Hedvigh. While I appreciate your ambition, we are looking for someone with specific –”

“Look,” she interrupted. “You've seen my resume.” In fact, I hadn't. “You know I can do this. In my sleep, probably. How many times are you going to have a girl walk in, top of their class in Runic Studies at MKU, asking for a position like this to get started? I don't care what you pay. I'll do the work and you know I'll do it better than anyone else you talk to.”

I coughed to cover up my embarrassment. MKU? God. She outclassed me by a mile. And it proved she was no stranger to hard work. She was a serious candidate for the position.

It's also possible I was developing an entirely inappropriate crush.