Page 8 of Half Dead

“Whether you choose to become a member or not, I still think you’ll find the gathering worthwhile. That reminds me. We have a gift for you.” Posy snapped her fingers, and a wrapped box appeared. She slid it to me. “A small token of our appreciation that you finally agreed to a meeting.”

I tore off the paper and removed the lid from the box. Beneath a layer of delicate tissue paper was a cobalt blue T-shirt.

“We know how fond you are of leisurewear,” Posy explained.

I unfolded the T-shirt to read the logo. “Team Corporation? Someone was feeling optimistic.”

A slight, dark-haired woman entered the lanai, carrying a basket of fruit. Her haircut was severe, with bangs that sliced across her forehead in a sharp line and hard angles that framed her face.

“My apologies,” the woman said, stopping short. “I thought you were part of our department meeting.”

“No, this is a private meeting. Lorelei, this is Kami. She works in the Prophecy Department.” Posy glared at her. “And I can promise you that my assistant booked this conference room for this exact date and time.”

“Then perhaps the scheduler double-booked it,” Kami said.

“I highly doubt that. Check your calendar. You must be mistaken.”

“Is that even possible with a prophet?” I interjected.

“You’d be surprised. They’re wrong as often as they’re right.” She scrunched her nose and gave the prophet a condescending smile. “Isn’t that right, Kamikins?”

Kami didn’t return the smile. She dropped the basket at her feet, causing apples to spill across the floor.

Posy huffed. “Such a drama queen.”

Kami’s body stiffened as her eyes rolled back until only the whites remained. “Melinoe, goddess of death and darkness.”

“Yes, yes,” Posy said in a bored voice. “We know who she is.”

Kami’s voice sounded robotic. “A devil’s bargain. The devil lies in the details. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t are one and the same.”

Posy snorted. “Ah, how I love the sound of gibberish in the morning.”

I didn’t understand Kami’s ramblings either, but I wasn’t inclined to be rude about it. I rose from my chair and collected the apples that had rolled away. By the time I dropped the final apple into the basket, Kami’s eyes had returned to their dark brown color.

“Thank you,” she said with a bow.

“No problem.”

Posy flicked a hot pink fingernail. “Go tell your department to find another lanai. This one is taken, which you would’ve known if any of you were good at your job.”

To her credit, Kami didn’t knock the chair out from under Posy, which I might’ve been inclined to do. The prophet was a better deity than I was.

“Nice to meet you, Kami,” I called after her.

Posy examined her nails. “She’s one of those earthlydeities. No better than a basic supernatural, really. Her whole job was to deliver messages from earth to the celestial realm.”

“But she doesn’t do that anymore?”

“She can see the future without any magic or divination. Obviously, The Corporation finds her useful.”

“But you said she’s only right half the time.”

“Still better than zero.”

“Miss Martell and the infamous Melinoe. What a fine day in Paradise this is.”

Posy shot to her feet, her cheeks as pink as her outfit. “Sir, I apologize. I didn’t realize you were here.” She bowed her head. “This is Skanda. He serves on the Executive Committee.”

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