Page 119 of Lost

“Thanks.” He grinned at her.

“Don’t thank me until it happens.Ifit happens.” She patted his cheek as she breezed past him.

“Oh, it’ll happen,” he muttered under his breath.

“Heard you!” she said.

He stifled his smile and let her get several paces ahead of him, then he bowed his shoulders and put a blank but hopefully stupid expression on his face and followed her.

The campus was starting to stir, as professors and upperclassmen hurried about, preparing for a new school day. They looked at Aphrodite. Of course they did. She was striding across campus with her head high and her thick, blond hair flowing behind her like a cloak. Kevin thought she was magnificent.

She was also pulling all eyes away from him.

When she stopped before the door that led to the school’s administrative offices, Kevin hurried past her again and opened it for her. Aphrodite marched inside and turned to the left. Just off the main hallway were Neferet’s luxurious offices. Aphrodite didn’t hesitate. She raised her hand to knock on the thick door and glanced back at Kevin.

Ready?she mouthed.

He drew a deep breath and nodded, hoping he was a good actor.

Aphrodite knocked twice.

“Enter!”

Kevin had, of course, never been in Neferet’s office suite until then, and it definitely wasn’t an act that had him stopping just inside the door and gawking around like a brainless tourist.

Everything inside the suite of rooms was beautiful. Had he ever imagined how Neferet would decorate her offices, which he hadn’t, Kevin would’ve guessed that she’d have drenched everything in gaudy gold and marble and crystal. He would’ve been wrong.

The main room, which held Neferet’s desk, was almost completely decorated in white. On the walls hung beautiful black and white photographs of Neferet—in each of them she looked like a version of Nyx come to earth. In one she’d even mocked up a headdress of diamonds to look like the Goddess’ headdress of stars.

It was super unsettling.

The desk was a piece of art. Made entirely of green onyx—the exact color of Neferet’s eyes—and lit from within, it was the perfect frame for the preternaturally beautiful High Priestess, who sat elegantly behind her desk in a throne-like chair. In front of her desk were two velvet chairs the same color as the desk.

James Stark was sitting in one of the chairs. As they entered the office, Stark turned, his eyes widening in surprise when he recognized Kevin. Kevin saluted him quickly and then stood at parade rest, his gaze on nothing in particular.

“Aphrodite! Your ears must have been burning. General Stark and I were just talking about you.”

Aphrodite didn’t miss a beat. She took the chair next to Stark, crossed her long legs, and flipped back her hair.

“Really? That’s a coincidence. I was just thinking about talking to you about Stark.”

“Do tell!” Neferet gushed and leaned forward as if she and Aphrodite were besties.

Kevin knew better.

“Did General Bow Boy tell you I broke the heel of my Louis Vuitton’s last night tromping around in the wilderness?”

“I don’t remember him mentioning that. Did you, Stark?”

Stark frowned at Aphrodite and then returned his attention to Neferet. “I didn’t mention it because it isn’t important. The fact that we caught no members of the Resistance last nightisimportant.”

“Not my fault the Red Army is so loud and stinky that they can’t manage to set a trap. Ugh, speaking of.” Aphrodite’s hand disappeared into her purse to reappear with the purple perfume bottle, which she squirted absently over her shoulder in Kevin’s general direction. “Next time you assign a soldier to me could you please choose one who doesn’t reek?”

Stark just stared at her. Aphrodite shrugged and ignored him. “Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I’m going to Dallas for some retail therapy. And to replace my boots, which I really should charge to Bow Boy here, but I’m a giver so I’ll take care of the cost myself.”

“Wait, so somehow she’s blamingmefor her stupid broken bootandthe fact that her vision was bullshit?” Stark barked.

“My vision wasn’t bullshit. It was real. It was true. They all are.”