Page 91 of Ungodly Rich

If only he knew what this was really about.

Hera sucked in a breath at the mention of her favorite child, as Aphrodite had known she would. Then she pulled out the chair at the head of the table and sat, curling her hands proprietarily over the armrests.

“What is it?” Hera demanded, her tone clipped.

Aphrodite cut right to the chase. “I have concerns about Julia Dodds. There is something strange about her.”

Hera’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t thinkyou,of all people, should be trying to break up this wedding.”

“So you’re telling me you have no reservations about this mortal?”

Hera said nothing to that. Aphrodite shifted her weight, wishing she could take a chair at the table, but she didn’t dare. No one sat in Hera’s presence without being invited.

“This has nothing to do with my history with Ares,” she insisted. “It’s Julia. I don’t think she should join the family.”

“Why not?” Hera asked quietly.

“Has Hermes said anything about her?” Aphrodite knew that Hera considered Hermes her loyal soldier, had probably already asked Hermes to do some digging on Julia—as he’d almost certainly done about Aphrodite, back when Hephaestus was wooing her. “Because I’m not sure you can trust Hermes anymore, not when it comes to Julia. He’s in her camp now.”

She felt a bit guilty throwing Hermes under the bus. Aphrodite missed the days when it had been her and Hermes against the other gods, laughing at how bitchy and vindictive they all were.

And now you’re acting just like them,a voice in Aphrodite’s head whispered.Trying to keep Julia out, just as the other goddesses tried to keepyouout.

Aphrodite forced herself to ignore the voice.

Hera scoffed. “I highly doubt Hermes cares about Julia. He never really thinks of anyone but himself.”

“Are you sure? Because I highly doubt she put together that outfit she wore to the cake tasting on her own,” Aphrodite explained. “I was watching Julia when Hermes came in; I saw her glance at him like she wanted his approval. He nodded once, very slightly. He’shelpingher.”

It had hurt, seeing Julia and Hermes exchange that look. Knowing that Hermes was actually choosing to help the mortal now.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” Hera mumbled unconvincingly.

“Hermes is always stirring up trouble, playing both sides—because he likes the chaos, or maybe out of self-preservation. But he certainly made a statement, helping Julia. And who knows?” Aphrodite shrugged. “He might not be the only god working with her.”

It was a shot in the dark. Aphrodite watched as Hera sat with that for a moment, considering.

“There’s somethingoffabout Julia,” Aphrodite pressed when Hera said nothing. “Something that doesn’t add up right. I know you feel it, too. We need to protect Ares.”

To her surprise, Hera let out a breath that was almost amused. “It’s rather exhausting, isn’t it? Protecting men, mostly from themselves.”

“They would be lost without us,” Aphrodite ventured.

Hera’s lips curled in something approximating a smile, and for a moment, it wasn’t entirely hostile between them. Then Hera shook her head.

“I still don’t trust your motives. You’re going to try to sleep with Ares again the moment he and Julia are done.”

“Like I said, this isn’t about Ares.” Aphrodite was loath to reveal that she’d been eavesdropping, but maybe she could convince Hera that she’d figured it out on her own? “I don’t want another mortal woman entering the Pantheon.”

Hera looked up sharply. “You know?”

“That Ares wants to make her immortal? I guessed,” Aphrodite lied. “You don’t go to all this trouble to bring a mortal into the fold if you’re not serious about keeping them around. So it’s true?”

Hera didn’t answer, but her silence spoke volumes.

“What are you suggesting?” Hera asked, after a beat.

“We combine our magics to find out Julia’s dark secret. Then we reveal it to Ares.”