Cursed Moon (Prospero's War) Read Online Free PDF Page B

in.”
    “I thought the term
hermaphrodite
was politically incorrect?” Gardner said.
    “Technically it’s only incorrect to use for Mundanes born with both male and female androgens,” Mez explained, his voice rising in excitement. “But sacred hermaphrodites are created by wizards using powerful alchemical magic that makes a person exactly half-male and half-female.”
    I nodded. “They’re the ultimate symbol of unity between the male and female energies of the universe. So they’re basicallyrevered among Adepts and rarely challenged once they reach high levels within covens.”
    “So they’re both sexes?” Morales asked, slack-jawed. “At the same time?”
    I shook my head. “Usually there’s one in the lead, but Aphrodite likes to keep people off guard by switching in the middle of conversations. The trick is to watch for clues. If the male half is in the lead, you address using male pronouns. If the female is in charge, you use female.”
    “How will we know?” Mez asked.
    “Aphrodite’s voice and posture change according to who’s in charge.”
    Morales blew out a breath. “This case is gonna be a real kick in the balls, isn’t it?”
    I nodded. “Pretty much. S/he’s about as cuddly as a black widow on a good day, which of course today is not seeing how the temple was violated and some asshole stole the Hierophant’s potions.”
    “Oh yeah, and don’t forget we’re less than two weeks away from a monster Blue Moon,” Mez said helpfully. “So s/he’ll be feeling the effects of that shit.”
    Morales rubbed his hands together. “I don’t know. Considering how dead it’s been around here lately, it kind of sounds like fun.”
    “Remember those words later,” I said, “so you can regret them.”

    On our way out to Morales’s car, he and I ran into the fifth member of the task force, Shadi Pruitt.
    For the last week or so, she had been assigned to help the BPD’s Arcane unit do raids on corner boys to stem the flow ofpotions. With the moon’s unstable energy in play, the fewer people out there freaking on potions, the better.
    Normally she moved like a petite bull looking for a china shop, but now she looked like she was pushing a freight train uphill. The circles under her eyes and pale cast to her normally dark complexion bore testament to the late nights she’d been serving to help out the patrol units.
    “You look like someone beat you with a bag of dicks,” Morales called by way of greeting.
    She flipped him the bird with her right hand. “Bite me, jackass.” Her words lacked any heat. “Where’s Mez?”
    “Getting his kit ready,” Morales said. “He’s meeting us at a crime scene.”
    “How’s it going out there?” I asked.
    She sighed and pushed all her weight to her right hip. “Motherfuckers be trippin’ like usual.” She shrugged as if this was standard operating procedure, which, given we were working in a magical slum, it kind of was. “But it beats the hell out of patrol.”
    We all nodded because it was true.
    “What crime scene you headed to?” Shadi asked.
    “Someone stole some sex potions from a sacred hermaphrodite,” Morales said.
    If his announcement surprised her, she didn’t show it. “All right, I’m going to go check in with the boss lady and then head home for some shut-eye.” She yawned so big her jaw popped. “But I’ll see ya tonight.”
    From the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of movement coming from Morales, but when I looked up at him he looked clueless. To Shadi, I said, “Actually, I’ve got AA tonight.” I didn’t mention that I had no intention of attending the weekly Arcane Anonymous meeting, just as I’d skipped the previous six.
    Shadi’s face changed into an expression I couldn’t read. Almost a cross between confusion and guilt. “Oh, uh. Yeah. Cool.”
    After that, she left quickly. I shot Morales a look. “What was that about?”
    He slipped on his aviators. “No idea. She’s probably just