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forced herself to smile.  ‘Sure.  Maybe April.  Thanks Dom.’
     
    *
     
    ‘It’s not fair!’ Yuri raged to her housemate, Sibyl, later that evening.  ‘It wasn’t that crazy an idea.  It’s not like I was trying to write about serious politics or economics or anything that would turn off our readers.  And it is still a real issue!  Women would be interested!’
    ‘I can talk to my great-aunt, if you want,’ Sibyl offered, ‘she can perhaps persuade this Don to look upon your ideas more favourably.’
    ‘Your great-aunt is supposed to be keeping a low profile,’ Yuri pointed out, calming down somewhat.  ‘As are you.’
    Sibyl pasted on an innocent look.  ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
    ‘The website?’
    She blinked.  ‘For a human you manage to find out a hell of a lot.’
    ‘I’m a journalist.’
    Sibyl arched her eyebrow.
    ‘Okay.  I’m not really a journalist,’ Yuri amended.  ‘I am trying though.’
    ‘It’s only a silly fortune telling site, anyway.  No-one takes those things seriously.’
    ‘How much money are you charging?’
    Sibyl shrugged.
    ‘And how much money have you made, more to the point?’
    She grinned in answer. 
    Yuri rolled her eyes.  ‘Judy’s writing an article about internet scams.  I should pass along your details.’
    Sibyl looked hurt.  ‘It’s not a scam.’
    ‘Which is why it’s so dangerous.’
    Her housemate dismissed her concerns.  ‘As if the bloody gods at Olympus would bother keeping up with the internet.  They still think they’re living in the Dark Ages.  Even if they did see the site, there’s no way they could trace it back to me.’  Her eyes took on a dangerous gleam. ‘You know I can still do a divination for you.  It’s not like it’s a life or death thing, Yuri.  I could just cast to find out whether you should stay at Yell or find another job where you’ll be more successful.’
    ‘I like my job.  There are people who would kill for my job.  And I’ve only been there for fourteen months.  You don’t become successful overnight.  Plus, I don’t want a damn divination.  I’ve told you a million times.  I don’t like that stuff.’
    ‘The offer’s always open.’
    ‘Thanks but no thanks.’
    Sibyl shrugged.  ‘Suit yourself.’
     
    *
     
    By the time the next morning rolled its inevitable way around, Yuri was feeling calmer.  So it hadn’t worked.  Maybe Don just wasn’t a fan of sequins in the way that he was of silly scarves and floaty dresses.  She’d just need to come up with a different idea and try again next month.  In the meantime, she had to sort through the hundreds of letters and emails which had been received and choose five to go into the next issue.  It was scut work, but at least it was interesting scut work. 
    It was towards the end of the day when Don interrupted her. There was a worried expression on his face and a tense set to his shoulders. ‘Yuri?  Can you come into my office please?’
    Her heart dropped.  Shit.  Shit shit shit.  Was this where he was going to tell her she didn’t fit in?  That her ideas for articles were so far off the wall, there was no point in her staying?  She’d thought it was just a matter of perseverance and patience, but maybe she’d been wrong.  Yuri had been telling the truth to Sibyl last night; as much as she’d been complaining, she loved her job and knew how lucky she was to have it.  Don had been pleased with her writing so far.  He’d even once said it had flair.  Was that not enough?  Cam watched her with wide eyes as she stood up on shaky legs and followed her boss across the room.  Terrifyingly, once she was inside, he closed the door.  He never closed his door.
    ‘So, Yuri, you know I’ve been happy with your work so far…’
    She closed her eyes for a beat, then opened them and looked directly at him. ‘But…?’
    ‘But I’m going to need to put a lot more pressure on you now and I need to