Aphrodite's Flame by Julie Kenner Read Free Book Online Page A

How could she have turned away from something both heroic and exciting? She couldn’t, of course—but now she had to wonder if maybe she would have been happier living her life as a mortal after all.
    Certainly her colleagues seemed to think she was no better than a mortal.
    No
. She was not going to think like that. Her record was stellar—so stellar that Bilius couldn’t even believe it was true. But it was. And she’d show him. She might only have herself to rely on, but in the end, she’d show him. She’d show them all.
    The door opened, and Zephron strode in, moving with the grace of one much younger than his long white beard would suggest.
    “Uncle Zephron!” And then, remembering that this was an official meeting, she cleared her throat and tried again. “Zephron, sir. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
    She thought she saw a faint twitching at the corner of his mouth. Then his eyes turned serious. “Bilius has many qualities,” he said, “but tact is not one of them. You earned this promotion. Don’t let his ramblings sway you to think otherwise.”
    Even though she’d been thinking that very thing only moments before, right then she was having a hard time believing in herself. So much for her bold plan to “show them all.”
    Apparently Zephron didn’t pick up on her discomfiture, though. He was smiling at her, a broad, open smile that was almost paternal.
    “What?”
    “Your skills as a Level I Re-Assimilation Counselor exceeded even my expectations. You have a gift, my dear. As we all do, of course, but yours is particularly strong in this area.”
    She felt her cheeks warm under the praise. “Thank you.”
    “And while your excellent performance may have resulted in this promotion, I’m afraid it will also put you a bit on display. And perhaps even earn you some enemies.”
    “So I noticed. Though I suppose I should be used to it by now.”
    His eyebrow twitched. “Gossip is only gossip, my dear.”
    “Even when it’s founded in truth?” The words came out more biting than she’d intended, and she took an involuntary step back, focusing on her shoes rather than on her uncle.
    His deep sigh drew her back to him, and she looked up, noticing how deep the lines on his face had become in the years since they’d first met. “We’ve had this conversation several times now, Isole. I thought you finally understood.”
    She shrugged, feeling like an impudent child but unable to help it. Though she loved him, being with her uncle—the High Elder of the Council, a man who seemed practically omnipotent—always brought her own failings into stark relief.
    A tender smile touched his lips. “We all have our weaknesses, Isole. Even me.”
    She grimaced. “I thought
I
was supposed to be the mind reader.”
    “Perhaps you’re just too transparent,” he said, his eyes twinkling.
    “Or you’re too good.” She tilted her head back and sighed with frustration. “I can’t even
levitate
.”
    “Did you know that I am completely incapable of discerning the approach of most mosquitoes?”
    She blinked, then gaped at him, entirely confused as to where the conversation was heading. “You’re what?”
    “Six hundred hertz,” he said. “I have a deaf spot for that particular frequency. I simply don’t hear it.”
    At that, her eyes widened. “You? A weakness?”
    He chuckled. “Shocking, I know. But, yes, it’s true. Mosquitoes have sought and claimed my blood on many occasions ... and I was unable to stall their nefarious advance.”
    Now she was laughing outright. “You’re making fun of me.”
    He moved closer, pulling her into his embrace. “No, child, I’m not. I’m simply pointing out that we all have our weaknesses ... and we all have our skills.” He crooked a finger under her chin and tilted her head up until she met his eyes. “You are here because of your skill. There is no other reason.”
    She nodded, but her gaze drifted away. Here
today
, perhaps. But that didn’t