Curse of the Sphinx Read Online Free Page A

foot in her mouth.
    They walked out of the classroom together and toward her locker.
    “So, I was just thinking,” he started.
    Her cheeks tinged with warmth.
    “You’re pretty smart, and I’m pretty smart. Maybe we could get together and study sometime?”
    “Um, I’m not allowed to have study groups.” The warmth in her cheeks turned to fire. “I mean, I’m not allowed to go to study groups.”
    “Why not? Is your mom the Wicked Witch or something?”
    “No.” Maybe.
    “Whatever. Tell her it’s a class assignment. I’ll be on my bestest behavior, a real prince.” He waggled his brows.
    She blushed and stuttered. “I . . . I don’t think that would help any.”
    He stepped closer and whispered, “What if you told her you were studying with a demigod? We could sort through the monsters and devise the best way to destroy each one.”
    Her heart stopped. A lump of terror exploded in her chest. “Are you . . . are you kidding me?” The words tripped out of her mouth.
    “Will it convince your mom to let us hang out?” He smiled, and a glint of amusement shone from his dark eyes. “If I told you my dad was Hedylogos, would it make any difference?”
    Zeus Almighty! “Is he really your dad?” Her voice dropped to a whisper.
    Caidyn shrugged. “Would it matter?” He leaned toward her. “You know who Hedylogos is?”
    She nodded. “God of flattery.” Of course she knew. She knew them all.
    Caidyn’s fingers brushed her hair away from her face.
    She flinched. Her heart beat a rhythm of fear.
    His eyes went from her lips to her eyes. “And sweet talk.” He straightened back up. “Maybe you shouldn’t tell her that part, though.” He took a step back. “I can come over to your house; that way your mom can supervise. Do you think that will work?”
    She shook her head. “Um, I better check with her first.” Her cold, clammy hands were shaking. She gripped her backpack to make them stop.
    The bell rang.
    “I’ll . . . I’ll let you know tomorrow.”
    Caidyn winked at her. “Perfect. Hey, why don’t you come eat lunch with me today?” He started walking backward.
    She shrugged.
    “I’ll find you!” Caidyn waved, then turned and sprinted down the hall.
    She stood alone in the hall, panic racing through her veins. Caidyn was a demigod? Could that even be? Gods! Caidyn was a demigod! She needed to tell her mom. She needed to tell her mom right now.
     
    Sixty-two days since the last move
     
    HOPE SLAMMED THE door and stood in the entryway. Her backpack slid from her shoulder as she surveyed the apartment. All around her were moving boxes. Stacks and stacks of them.
    “Oh. I’m so glad you’re here.” Her mom came out of the kitchen and pulled her into a hug. “I was just hunting for my keys so I could come get you.”
    “But I ride the bus.” As soon as it left her mouth, she knew this wasn’t about the bus.
    Only two months ago, they’d left Kent and moved to Mount Vernon. Two months! It seemed like a blink and—
    “I know you do. But we need to get going. It’s time.”
    “What happened?” Her voice shrunk as she faced her mom.
    “Baby, we’ve gone over this a million times.”
    “But you said a year—”
    “No. I said a year, at most. We agreed when I told you it was time to go, we would go. No arguments.”
    “Please, Mom?” Hope weaved her way through the boxes to the couch and collapsed into the overstuffed cushions, her wet coat dripping onto the leather. “It just . . . I . . .” She dropped her head into her hands.
    She could feel the couch dip next to her. Her mom’s arm circled her shoulders. “I thought you’d be ready for a change.”
    She met her mother’s eyes. “I just want a friend. I just want—”
    A knock at the door interrupted them. As Leto got up to answer it, the knock became a pounding.
    “ Skata! Open this door!”
    The voice of her aunt Priska cut through the air, and seconds later the petite woman came through the door.
    Hope stood to