Page 23 of Legacy of Temptation

Everyone rattled off a different name, and it was kind of nice knowing that Eva wasn’t sharing Maja with anyone else. Not that it would be a big deal, but having Maja to herself made it less likely that any information Eva shared in confidence would get back to her colleagues.

“So,” Eva said, “did anyone see, hear, or learn anything interesting today?”

Excitement sparked in Carlos’s cocoa eyes. “Those weapons. Man, they have some crazy shit. We don’t have half of what they’ve got in their Brussels office alone. And we only have one Sobek hook in the entire Aegis. They have three just fortraining. Draven showed me how to use it. I could never get the damn thing to work before.”

“What would you even use one for?” Benji asked.

Carlos rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “It’s not that practical for humans because of its size and weight, but giant Sobeks can knock something twice their size backward several yards with the right swing. And the Sobek hook is one of the few weapons that can neutralize a Nebulous demon.”

“Hmm.” Benji stared into the butter dish. “What if we could miniaturize them but still keep the same magical properties…?” He trailed off and then started tapping notes into his wrist comm, losing himself in his work as if he was back in his sterile DC lab and not sitting at a table in a fine European restaurant.

The server brought their drinks, and Eva thought she’d never been so happy to see a glass of wine. It had been a long day, and their schedule indicated that the days were going to get even longer and busier now that they’d finished their orientation.

“What’s on the agenda for you all tomorrow?” Mason asked. “I think I’m meeting with one of their spellcasters in the afternoon. Are you guys meeting with people in your respective departments?”

Eva dug her schedule from her tote and gave it a quick scan, even though she knew it by heart. “It looks like the time after lunch is entirely blocked off for us to meet with our DART counterparts.” She would be spending the afternoon with a woman named Runa, which should be interesting since she was openly a werewolf. And married to a demon. “The morning is reserved for combat training and tactical weapons demonstrations.”

“I can’t wait,” Carlos said. “After seeing their weapons and facility today, I’m stoked.”

“Me too,” Sig said, taking a big swig of his Duvel, chosen, he said, because the name meant “devil” in certain Dutch dialects, and he was going to “slay some “duvels.”

Eva had a feeling the beer was going to slay him.

“Ditto,” Keeley said to Carlos. “I can’t wait to see how good these people really are. I guarantee we’re better trained than they are.” She paused. “Logan excepted, of course.”

“What did I just say, Kee?” Carlos shook his head. “Don’t get cocky. Cocky gets you killed.”

“They’re not going to kill us.” Keeley slathered butter on a slice of bread. “Besides, I have to pretend I suck so they’ll underestimate me.”

“Same.” Benji sighed. “I’m supposed to act like I’m ofaverageintelligence. How do I do that? If I was average, I wouldn’t be in charge of The Aegis’s entire R&D department, and I definitely wouldn’t have a doctorate in physics from Stanford University.”

Benji always found a way to work Stanford into a conversation. He’d become a drinking game at parties.

Benji said Stanford again! Take a drink!

“They don’t want you to play dumb,” Eva said calmly, taking a piece of warm bread for herself before her stomach started growling. “They just want you to not make others feel dumb.”

“I don’t do that,” he said, all offended. But his cheeks flared pink because he knew damn well he did.

“I’m supposed to act like I don’t know much about magic.” Mason looked over at Sig. “What did the Elders tell you to do while you’re here?”

“Nothing.” Sig grinned. “I’m perfect.”

Eva rolled her eyes as the server interrupted with their food. Flemish stew and mashed potatoes for her. Her fork tinked on the plate as she scooped up a bite-sized portion of beef and gravy. The savory aroma of onions and Belgian beer reminded her of the European trip her parents had gifted her for high school graduation.

But as she opened her mouth, her wrist comms beeped, joining a sudden chorus from every comms device in the room.

“It’s an Aegis alert.” She put down her fork. “Press conference from the home office.” What the hell? She should have been consulted, or at the very least notified, about anything media-related. Like a damn press conference. “Does anyone know what this is about?”

“Us? You’re the one who should know,” Keeley pointed out, less than helpfully.

“I know, but—”

Dammit. She started to dial Jennifer but remembered halfway through that she was only supposed to be in contact with Maja. Surely it would be okay to contact Jenn about her own office’s work, right? Maybe she should call Maja. No, she definitely didn’t want to do that. One didn’t bother an Elder just to ask what a press conference was about and why she hadn’t been notified.

“Hey.” Keeley tapped Eva on the arm. “It’s starting.” She flicked her device, throwing a grainy, two-foot-tall lighted hologram of a podium into the middle of the table. A heartbeat later, Stefani walked up to it, all spiked heels, tight skirt, and just enough cleavage to draw eyes but not criticism.

Eva practically snarled.

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