Aphrodite's Secret by Julie Kenner

Author:Julie Kenner [Kenner, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
Published: 2003-11-12T23:00:00+00:00

Eight

“It should be right here,” Jason said, a knot of fear tightening in his chest. Was the Council right that the island wasn’t in this location? Had he arrogantly run off to follow a red herring?

He pounded his fist on the side of the boat. “Right here. Heck, we should be only yards from one of the beaches.”

“Maybe you read Davy’s map wrong.” Lane’s teeth worried at her lower lip.

“No.” He couldn’t believe that. They had to be in the right place. He’d confirmed the location with a fish, for Hera’s sake!

Damn it all to Hades. His son was in trouble. They didn’t have time to be chasing ghosts. “No,” he said, gripping the side of the boat. “This has to be the right place. Dammit, where’s the island?”

“Maybe it’s right in front of us.” Boreas’s voice startled him, and Jason twisted around. The neophyte Protector was in the stairwell, but he stepped all the way onto the deck, moving to join them at the rail of the boat.

“Are you delusional?” Jason snapped. Trying to keep his temper in check, he swept his arm at the miles of water spread out before them. “There’s no island.”

Boreas’s eyes widened, and Jason felt a quick twinge of guilt for being obnoxious. But it faded as fast as it came. He had other things to worry about than whether his Councilsent shadow thought he was being mean.

Besides, Officer Boring seemed to recover fast enough. The young man straightened his shoulders, lifted his chin, and pointed toward the water. “It’s supposed to be right there?” he asked.

“Yes.” Jason gave Lane’s hand a gentle squeeze, letting her know he was still thinking about the real problem even while he entertained Boreas’s useless questions.

“Maybe we just can’t see it. Maybe it’s cloaked.”

“A whole island? That’s the stu—” Jason snapped his mouth shut. As much as he hated to admit it, Boring just might have a point.

“Jason?” Lane asked.

“Stunningly insightful,” he said, hooking an arm around Boreas’s shoulder. “That’s the most stunningly insightful idea I’ve heard all day.” He aimed the kid toward the captain’s chair and got him seated. “Go on.”

The cadet shifted, looking none too happy about being steered. “It’s, uh, just that Hieronymous is so good at inventing things. That’s his skill, right? I mean, we studied him in Psychology of Outcasts during my last year at the Olympus Academy.”

“Okay,” Jason prompted.

Boreas looked from him to Lane, then back to Jason again. “Well, yeah. It’s not like I’ve got a scientific explanation or anything. But you said the island was here. Now we can’t see it. So, either you’re wrong, or . . .”

“Hieronymous built something that can cloak a whole island,” Lane finished.

It was sure as hell a good possibility. “Good thinking, Boring,” Jason said.

“Boreas,” the kid said.

“That’s what I said.” He turned to Lane. “We should check it out. If Boreas is right, Hieronymous will see us sniffing around. He might already know we’re here, but it’s a risk we have to take.

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