Page 16 of Half Dead

“I keep busy.” I noticed that Posy’s eyes now had a glassy sheen. I was curious to see exactly how wise the cup o’ knowledge made her. “I have a question, although I doubt you’ll know the answer.”

And there it was—that flash of steely determination. To prove that she was every bit as smart and valuable as the deities that surrounded her.

“Try me,” she said.

“Where’s Anubis?”

Her eyebrows pinched together. “Who?”

“Anubis. Egyptian god in charge of their afterlife. Head of a jackal. You can’t miss him.”

“If he’s in charge of their afterlife, then I expect you’d find him in the Duat.”

“Except he isn’t there, which is why Apep recently came through my crossroads searching for him.” I gave her a sympathetic look. “See? I didn’t think you’d know. Whatever the plan is, I’m sure it’s above your pay grade.”

Posy ran her finger along the rim of the glass and licked it. “The Duat and your underworld in chaos. Fancy that.”

“I don’t know about chaos. Aunt Hestia has the underworld in hand.”

“Then why is she so set on having you take the throne?” She offered a smug smile. “See? I know things.”

“Because you have my file, which I would still like to see. Hestia is old fashioned like that. I’m the heir. She thinks I’m shirking my responsibilities.”

The siren cocked her head. “Would it be the worst thing in the world to claim your realm?”

“It isn’t my realm. My home is in Fairhaven, in the human world.”

“Yes, Bluebeard’s Castle.” She snorted. “It would be a cozy little place if not for the peeling plaster and banging pipes.”

“It’s a work in progress,” I muttered.

“Yes, your file makes that very clear.”

“Why not show it to me? You wouldn’t have brought it to the meeting if you were dead set against me looking at it.”

“Perhaps we can negotiate the terms.”

I groaned. “The Corporation is worse than Faerie with all your deals.”

“What do you hope to learn that you don’t already know?”

“I want to know what happened to my parents. The detailed version.”

“What do you think happened?”

“I assume your organization obliterated them, but according to Hestia, that’s impossible. She claims obliteration is a myth. She also said that Hades and Persephone announced their decision to take a hiatus to the whole underworld, which suggests their absence was planned.”

Posy shrugged. “Can’t it be both?”

Not the most promising answer. “Is she right about obliteration? Is it just a scare tactic used to keep your members in line?”

“I’m a lowly siren, remember? Information like that would be above my status. You might try asking Inanna. Should I get her for you?”

I lowered my voice. “If you’re so desperate to recruit me, try throwing me a bone.”

Her tone matched my own. “You said you wouldn’t join in a million years. Seems like a waste of valuable information.”

I changed tacks. “Is Anubis here?”

---