The woman nodded as she sat. Esha took the chair next to her. “Well done of you to know. Sometimes it seems there are so many of us from various faiths that it can be hard to keep straight.”
That was the truth. “I studied up once I got to the university and realized how much there was to the world.”
And you’re colleagues with my friend, which I’m not allowed to tell you since it would ruin her trips sneaking out of Otherworld .
Aerten nodded. “The Mythean Guardians are supposed to protect those who are important to the fate of humanity. My sight allows me to see who those individuals might be, and to select the Mythean Guardians from the bravest mortals. But my name does mean renowned in battle for a reason.” She smiled wryly. “That was a long time ago, though. Now I’m a bureaucrat, and Warren is the real head of the Praesidium.”
“I see. But you don’t come around here often. At least not when I’m here. I’d feel it.” Hoo boy, was she feeling it.
“Celtic gods don’t really leave Otherworld. I’m an exception because of my duties to the Mythean Guard, but even I can only come for very important reasons. And you are a very important reason.”
“Me?” She squashed a tiny flush of pride. Wasn’t this about Erebus?
“Aye,” Warren said, and she had to work a little harder to crush the burst of happiness. “As you know, we invited you to the university because of your power. But because of the way you reap your power, we weren’t exactly sure how to use you other than as a mercenary.”
“Now you have?”
“With your discoveries in the underground, and recent complications, we have,” Warren said.
“Complications?” Esha asked.
“We’ll get to that in a minute,” Aerten said.
Esha frowned, but nodded at them to continue.
“Warren has proposed that we add you to the Praesidium.”
Esha tried to keep her jaw from slackening. Why would Warren do this for her? She liked her badass solo merc status, but if she were honest, she’d longed to be part of a team. Just once, to see what it felt like. But it was too weird.
“Oh, hey, thanks, but I’m not a team player,” she said.
“You doona need to be,” Warren said. “You’d be a consultant. Your discovery in the underground highlights your skill, and we’ve recently determined we need some of your other talents. I’ve never spoken to you much before this recent problem, but I realized that you don’t drain my powers.”
He really wanted her to join the Praesidium?
“What do you think?” the goddess asked.
She must be here to make the whole deal official, Esha thought.
“Could you work with us on a consultant basis? You’d retain your current duties, but we want to ensure that you come to our department when you find something strange, as you did in the underground. Or that you’ll work for us when we need you to,” Aerten said.
Esha mulled it over. It would be nice to be part of a team. Not that she needed them, or anything. “What’s in it for me?”
“We’ll pay you more,” Warren said.
“Triple?” They already paid her pretty damn well, but why not shoot high?
“Double.” Warren’s voice was firm.
“All right, good deal. I’d have settled for half again, anyway.” She smiled and held out her hand, first to Aerten since she was the big boss, and then to Warren. Her palm tingled where it touched his.
“You mentioned recent complications with the underground?” she asked.
Aerten nodded, her face grim. “The two Mythean Guardians that Warren stationed at the portal to Erebus intercepted four demons abducting a mortal female. They tried to save her, and Lorne, one of the guardians, was killed. Three of the demons were destroyed, but one took the soul of the mortal into Erebus. The mortal’s body is in a coma here in the infirmary.”
“Shit. Are you sure she’s mortal?”
“Honestly, we’re not. A mortal body normally wouldn’t survive going through a portal to an afterworld. If she’s a Mythean, there’s no sign of what kind. We’re not even sure if she’s a victim or an accomplice who went willingly. We’d like you to take a look at her to see if any shadows of evil remain with her body.”