pleaded.
Does it hurt? Helen asked, her curiosity piqued.
Ive tried to explain to Jase how it feels, but Ive never been able
to get it right. Its almost like that feeling you get when youve lost
something really important and you cant find it, but its much
worse. The longer the lie hangs there, the more frantic I get to find
the truth. Ill dig and dig for it . . .
I just need a little bit of time to adjust, Helen admitted in a
rush. Im not ready to tell my dad about me, or about my mom,
because I dont know what it would do to him. To be honest, I dont
know if Ill ever tell him. But I know I need a minute to get used to
all of this. A few days at least.
Lucass face relaxed immediately and he let out a held breath.
Why didnt you just say that to begin with?
Because its, its too . . . she trailed off, not knowing why it was
so hard.
Too raw. Like being naked, Lucas said for her. Helen nodded
her head. Well, sorry. But with me you have to be either honest or
silent. He released the break, put the car in gear, and merged back
into traffic.
As soon as he could stop shifting, he grabbed her hand and held
it on his leg, and when the fading sunlight forced him to turn on
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the headlights, he let go of the steering wheel rather than let go of
her hand.
Lucas pulled into Helens driveway behind the Pig, then killed
the lights and engine. Stay here for a sec, he said before hopping
out of the car and disappearing around the back of the house.
Helen craned her head to look for him as she waited, but she
didnt hear anythingnot even the sound of his footsteps. Annoyed
that he would just run off like that, she got out of the car and
walked up to the Pig to get a better view. She noticed her purse lying
on the ground behind the front tire. Oops. She picked it up and
fished out her phone. There were over a dozen missed calls.
She remembered that her purse was lying on the ground because
she had been attacked, and she suddenly realized that her attacker
was not Hector or Lucas, as she had assumed the other night.
Now that she could look back on it without the Furies there to
warp her judgment, she figured out that there had been someone
else here waiting for her when she came home. Someone with wiry
armsa woman, she thought, recalling the smell of cosmeticshad
grabbed her from behind, then been scared off by the arrival of the
Delos family. Lucas had sent Ariadne and Jason to chase after her,
but the woman must have gotten away because there was no mention
of her this weekend. In the shock of the past few days, Helen
had completely forgotten about the attack.
Lucas? she called, heading toward the shadows off to the side of
her house. He had been gone too long. She heard a muffled thud
behind her.
I asked you to stay in the car. Its for your safety, Helen, Lucas
said with frustration. She spun around to face him, gesturing
wildly with her cell phone still in her hand.
That woman! Youre looking for that woman who jumped Kate
and me, Helen said, finally understanding it all. Shes a Scion,
too. She has to be!
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Yes, of course she is. . . . he interrupted her. But listen to me.
There are two of themtwo different women are after you, and we
havent caught either of them yet.
A pair of lights flashed across the house and driveway. A car was
pulling up. Lucas stood in front of Helen and looked easily through
the lights that were blinding her from seeing the people in the car.
Its your father, he told her.
Helen? There you are! Where the hell have you been? Jerry
shouted as he climbed out of the cab before the driver had even
come to a full stop. He was angrier than shed seen him in years. I
called over and over. Youre never late! I thought something had
happened to you!
Why are you here? Helen screeched.
We got an earlier flight. Didnt you get any of my messages?
I . . . Helen trailed off, holding up her cell phone stupidly. She
knew she had to make something up, but she also knew she was a
terrible liar. She started to panic. Lucas grabbed her phone from
her and, as he did, Helen heard an almost imperceptible crunch.
Her phones broken, Lucas said, passing Helens phone to her
father so he could see it. It came apart in Jerrys hand. I came over
to see why she wasnt picking up and she was out here in the driveway
on her way to go get you. Helen stared at Lucas with her
mouth open, wondering how someone who demanded honesty
from everyone else could be so quick to lie.
How did you do this, Len? Jerry asked in a dismayed voice as
he studied the pulverized sandwich of plastic and microchips.
This was brand-new.
I know! Helen said a little too emphatically. Piece of junk,
right? Im so sorry, Dad. I had no idea you were coming early.
Really.
Oh, its all right, Jerry said a bit sheepishly now that he wasnt
so worried. He and Helen smiled at each other, all forgiven. Then
Jerry turned to Lucas. You look familiar, he said suspiciously,
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acknowledging Lucass presence for the first time and distrusting it
immediately.
For a moment Helen could see Lucas as her father dida heartbreakingly
beautiful young man who was too well built, too well
dressed, and driving too nice of a car to ever be liked by anyones
father.
Lucas Delos, he said, holding out his hand.
Dont you hate this kid? Jerry asked Helen candidly as he
shook the offered hand. Lucas laughed, and it was such an open,
unself-conscious sound that Jerry joined in.
We worked it out, Helen said.
Good, Jerry said. Then he passed Lucass flashy convertible as
he went back to the cab to pay and get his bags. Or maybe not, he
amended. Helen took that moment to roll her eyes at Lucas and
point to her phone.
What about that woman? How are you going to tell me the rest
of the story now? she whispered frantically. If I use the phone in
the kitchen, my dad will hear.
Sorry, Lucas whispered back, his eyes laughing. I couldnt
think of anything else to do.
Tomorrow, Helen warned. I want the whole story.
Ill pick you up half an hour early for school. Well get coffee,
Lucas promised.
Whats going on? Jerry asked suspiciously, joining them again.
Lucas has to get home for dinner, Helen said. She saw Lucas
wince at the lie, but he took the hint.
It was nice to meet you, Mr. Hamilton, Lucas said as he waved
good-bye and backpedaled toward his car.
Damn, I really wish you had acne. Or a gland problem, Jerry
replied.
Dad! Helen huffed, embarrassed. Good night, Lucas, she said
apologetically.
Good night, Helen, he replied softly, his eyes bright.
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Okay, thats enough. Get in the house, Helen, Jerry said with a
nervous smile. He physically turned Helen around and gave her a
little push toward the door. I think I would prefer it if you went
back to hating him.
Helen heard Lucas laughing to himself as he started his car. The
warm sound made her smile.
Lucas took his time driving home from Helens side of the island.
He needed time to think and get control over himself before he
faced his family. Not that it would do much good. Cassandra and
Jason could always figure out how he was feeling, and they were
being hypervigilant about him right now. Theyd been worried
about him since that day in the hallway when hed first seen her,
and now it would get worse. It was already worse. Jason would
probably try to get him to sit down for a nice, long talk, and Lucas
didnt have the patience for that. He didnt want anyones pity; he
just wanted to be left alone for once.
Lucas pulled into the garage and sat with the engine off for a few
minutes, trying to put his feelings back where they belonged. The
past few days hed felt as if his emotions were spring-loaded, as
though if he let the lid off them theyd all come flying out like confetti
from a Christmas cracker. He knew for damn sure he couldnt
handle seeing Cassandra, not right then, and he also knew she was
probably waiting for him. He got out of the car, walked outside,
and flew up to his bedroom window to avoid her.
But of course she knew he would do that, and she was already sitting
on the couch in his room. Lucas smiled ruefully to himself before
he even got his window open. He should have known better
than to try and outmaneuver his little sister.
I dont want to talk about it, Cassie, he said in what he hoped
was a patient but firm voice.
You dont get to make that choice, Cassandra responded sadly.
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No. Were Scions. We dont get to make many of our own
choices, do we? he said bitterly as he floated through the window
and came in for a landing.
His body took on the burden of gravity and his feet touched down
as he went from flying to walking in an instant.
Youve been gone a while, Cassandra said in an insinuating
tone.
I stayed in her area for a bit, looking around her neighborhood
for any sign of those women, he said evenly, and he wasnt lying.
I told you, you dont have to worry. Shes safe for a few more
days at least, Cassandra said, shaking her head. Im not so sure
about you.
I didnt touch her.
But you cant stay away from her, either.
He couldnt. Even when he was still possessed by the Furies in
her presence, he couldnt stay away from Helen. He didnt know
how to describe it; it was as though it felt wrong to be separated
from her. You dont have to worry. I wont touch her.
Thats not the only thing I care about, she began in a warning
tone.
He interrupted her, tired of the doublespeak. Yeah, sure, but its
the thing you and everybody else cares about most, Cassie, he
said. He unlatched his watch and laid it carefully on his bedside
table. He wouldnt look at her, and he knew that was cruel, but he
couldnt stop himself.
Thats not true. You know that, right? she asked, suddenly no
more than his sweet little sister. He looked over at her and felt his
heart soften. She carried a heavier burden then he did, he knew
that. Sometimes his bitterness got the better of him, but he trusted
that Cassandra knew he loved her, and that she also knew he
wouldnt stop loving her even if she told him he had to give up the
one thing he wanted most in the world. That didnt make it any
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easier for either of them, though it wasnt like anyone had ever
asked them what they wanted.
What does it matter how any of us feel? he muttered. If I take
Helen, the war starts all over again. No amount of wishing will
make it different.
I dont know that, Cassandra replied with more than a little
self-doubt. Im not strong enough yet.
But youre pretty sure it is, he said, sitting down on the end of
his bed, suddenly feeling as if he had taken on two planets worth
of gravity. And dont pretend youre not, because not even you can
lie to me.
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UNCORRECTED E-PROOFNOT FOR SALE
HarperCollins Publishers
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Chapter Eight
Helen spent the next few hours alternately listening to
the details of her fathers trip and insisting that Lucas
was not her boyfriend. She figured out pretty fast that
the only way to get Jerry to stop asking questions about
Lucas was to ask him questions about Kate instead.
And besides, she genuinely wanted to know what was going on
between the two of them. Jerry kept insisting that they had never
been anything more than friends. Disappointed that her dad was
obviously still lugging around a big bag of hurt for her mother, all
Helen wanted was to escape upstairs to her room to think, but she
had to wait until they finished dinner first. By the time she and her
father were done eating, arguing over how much salt he was allowed
to put on his dinner, and talking about the store, Helen was
so exhausted she nearly fell asleep sitting on the edge of the tub as
she brushed her teeth.
The next morning, Helen skipped breakfast, packed her own
lunch box, and shouted good-bye to her father from the front door
before he even made it downstairs. He called after her as she
jumped into Lucass car, but she pretended she didnt hear him.
Shouldnt we wait to see what he wants? Lucas asked her.
Nope. Lets just go, she said a little too quickly.
Lucas shrugged and drove off as Jerry made it to the front door.
Helen waved to him, but she knew she would hear about this little
stunt later. In detail.
Okay, Im still new around here so I dont know the cafés.
Wheres a good place on this side of the island? Lucas asked.