Aphrodite's Secret Read Online Free PDF

Lane knows it.”
    Zoë frowned, not bothering to mention that a “wonderful aunt” didn’t get tied up and lose track of her nephew. Instead, she examined her prison inch by inch, looking for a weak spot where—
maybe
—she’d be able to break out even sans her super strength.
    As she meticulously searched, she compared herself to her sister-in-law. As moms went, Lane was as good as they came. As aunts went, Zoë had just a couple of years’ experience under her belt. She’d only acquired a nephew after she married Lane’s foster brother. It was only recently that she’d started to take stock of her child-care skills. Despite working as an elementary school librarian before becoming a full-time superhero, her mental assessment of herself had shown Zoë lacking. Apparently, checking out endless copies of
Ramona the Pest
wasn’t the same thing as watching over a little boy 24-7.
    That was why, in what she’d considered a burst of self-educatory brilliance, she’d offered to take Davy on the fun-filled trip to Sea World. A challenge? Sure. But she was always up for a challenge. She’d just expected something more along the lines of negotiating showtimes and exhausted-little-boy melt-downs. Getting separated from Davy, suspecting the meddling of her evil uncle, and being locked in a small room
definitely
had not been on her agenda.
    “Any day now,” Deena complained, her foot tapping.
    Zoë gave her an irritated glance. “Do you mind? I can’t just knock a wall down and end up in Hieronymous’s lap or anything.” Which, again, was literally true. Zoë just wasn’t clarifying the little fact that, no matter how much she might want to, knocking down a wall wasn’t in her current list of abilities.
    “Fine. Sorry. Just hurry.”
    Zoë scowled, then sat back on her heels as she finished her reconnaissance. “Looks like we’re in some sort of storage compartment,” she said. She traced her hand down a seam in the wall. “It must open right here.”
    “Well, open it,” Deena said, her patience clearly wearing thin. Zoë didn’t blame her. She wanted to get the heck out of here, too.
    Might as well give it a try.
In a quick, practiced move, she twisted, bending at the waist as she sent her leg shooting toward the door with all the strength she could muster. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. The rubber sole of her white Keds connected with the metal plate, and a dull
thwang
echoed through the chamber. The door panel stayed firmly shut.
    “I can’t,” she said, turning toward Deena.
    Her friend looked at her like she’d just said the moon was made of green cheese. “Excuse me?” She cocked her head. “Is it made of lead or something? I thought that was just a myth.”
    “It is, but that’s, uh, not the problem.”
    Deena cocked an eyebrow. “Care to elucidate?”
    Zoë nibbled on her lower lip. “Let’s just say I’m not exactly at my best right now.” As a halfling, she’d had a more difficult time harnessing her powers than full-blooded Protectors like her half brother Hale. But she’d been working her tail off and, recently, she’d gotten her powers pretty much under control. Except right now all her hard work seemed for naught. She couldn’t get her powers to cooperate in the slightest.
    Deena looked concerned. “Are you okay? Have you seen a doctor? You have been acting tired lately. Does the Council have some Dr. Bombay type dude on retainer who can examine you?”
    “I’m fine,” Zoë reassured her. “Really. I’ve been thoroughly checked out. It’s just a short-term thing. Should pass in a few more weeks.” She mentally calculated. Yeah, about nine more weeks and she’d be past this phase. “But in the meantime, it’s very disconcerting.”
    “Not to mention inconvenient,” Deena complained. She aimed one more quizzical glance at Zoë but didn’t press the subject, and for that Zoë was grateful. “So, what do we do? We need to find Davy. We need to stop your