other before separating. They changed into workout clothes and
met back on the practice mat.
Helen was expecting there to be a little lingering tension between
her and Lucas after his slip at Great Point, but if anything, that
momentary loss of self-control only served to make him more focused
on training. Usually, there was a moment or two when one
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or the other of them would become conscious of the intimate positions
they pressed each other into as Helen tried to grasp the basics
of jujitsu, but not that afternoon. Lucas was all business.
I just realized, weve been fighting all day, Helen said as she
tried and failed to break out of his armbar for the tenth time. And
I dont think Ive won once.
How long has it been? he asked, suddenly curious about
something she didnt understand right away. He craned his head
and looked at the clock on the wall, then back at Helen. Do you
have your bolts back yet?
Helen connected to that strange sense at the bottom of her belly
and felt a spark there. She nodded at Lucas, a bit surprised, and he
grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet.
Then lets go try it out, he said with a grin as he led her out of
the gym.
Wait, Helen said uncertainly, stopping him with an outstretched
hand. My lightning almost killed you today.
Because you dont know how to control it yet. Lucas turned and
cupped her shoulders in his hands. You have to accept this. I
know it freaks you out, but as harsh as it sounds, youve just got to
get over it. This is who you are, Helen, and Im not afraid of you, or
your lightning. So you shouldnt be, either.
Helen looked up at Lucas. His eyes were so sure, so accepting.
You know what? she said, standing up straighter. I want to
learn how to control my lightning.
Yeah, you do! he nearly shouted. When they got outside, they
saw Hectors truck pull up and the rest of the Delos siblings pile
out.
Were going to test her bolts! Lucas yelled toward them. Jason
and Hector glanced at each other briefly with wide eyes. They both
broke into a run.
How long has is been? Hector shouted, sprinting toward them,
giddy as a schoolgirl.
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About an hour and forty-five minutes, Lucas said. She drank
two gallons of water.
And I still feel a little thirsty, Helen admitted.
Well, get her some more water, Lucas! Cassandra ordered as
she and Ariadne caught up. How is she supposed to make lightning
bolts without hydrogen?
Right, Lucas said distractedly. Jumping into the air, he flew to
the house and back in about twenty seconds. Why didnt you tell
me you were thirsty? he asked Helen, handing her a large bottle
still cold from the fridge.
I didnt know. I guess I should start paying better attention to
that, Helen mumbled to herself sheepishly.
You have to pay attention to everything that makes you more
powerful. And your bolts make you very powerful, Hector said, a
feline grin spreading across his face. Helen tipped the bottle back
and drank deeply.
That door was insane! Jason exclaimed. Recalling it, he rubbed
a hand across his face in that Delos gesture that Helen always noticed.
It was like you had taken an industrial-strength welder to
it.
How many volts do you think you have stored right now? Cassandra
asked. They all entered the arena.
No idea. Helen shrugged. She felt for the charge and tried to
gauge it, but she couldnt describe it. Its a feeling, not a digital
readout, Cass.
Oh, then wait! Cassandra said, holding up her hands. Maybe I
can devise a way to measure it.
Cassie, geek out later! Were all dying to see this right now,
Hector whined.
All right, fine! Sorry, Helen. Whenever youre ready, she reluctantly
allowed.
The Delos family moved behind Helen, giving her plenty of room
to aim her bolt out across the nonconductive sand of the arena. She
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held up her right hand. That was the hand she wrote with, but it
didnt feel like the best fit, so she switched to her left. Then she
summoned her boltdeliberately for the first time.
Lightning shot out of her hand. Not static, not some pathetic
splinter of a spark, but actual lightning. It arced forward in a
bright, branching blur, and it made a huge cracking sound, like an
orchestra of leather bullwhips snapping simultaneously. One
second the air was full of blinding icy blue light, and the next
second half of the arena was coated in a thick sheet of smoking
amber-colored glass.
No one said anything for a second.
Unbefrickinglievable, Hector cussed quietly into the silence.
Helen smacked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and
stumbled toward the water bottle that Lucas automatically held out
for her. She finished an entire liter in five gulps.
Maybe that was a bit much, she said as she leaned against
Lucas.
You could have fried about fifty people, Ariadne murmured distractedly,
looking from Helen to the irregular sheet of glass.
I dont want to fry fifty people. Fifty French fries, sure. Who
wouldnt want fifty French fries? Delicious, Helen said. She felt
herself give a goofy grin.
The electricity makes her a little confused, Lucas explained to
his siblings in an embarrassed tone. I hope it isnt bad for her.
Its not the voltage, Lucas. Its severe dehydration! Cassandra
chastised. Her body is built to handle electricity. Its the drain of
the fluids out of her tissues that makes her seem like an airhead.
And that isnt permanent or damaging, so stop worrying.
In the kitchen, Helen put her lips under the faucet. Everyone
waited patiently for Helen to drink her fill while they stared at one
another behind her back. She could feel their fear. It was exactly
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why she had suppressed her power to begin with. That power was
so intense, so destructive, it was impossible for anyone to trust it.
Helen shut off the tap and turned to face them. Did I just freak
everyone out? she asked.
Yeah, Lucas said, his face a mask. Helens throat closed and her
whole body went still. She kept her eyes on Lucas, but she was
waiting for any one of them to condemn her for going too far. Lucas
looked up at Helen and smiled at her. He smiled like he was
proud of her.
But thats our problem, not yours, he said firmly. Theres nothing
wrong with what you can do. Theres nothing wrong with you.
Plus, I bet youre real good at making smores, Ariadne added.
But the real question is, can she do it without liquefying the
chocolate? Jason asked, like he was some kind of smores guru.
Helen looked from face to face, her heart aching a bit with gratitude
to find nothing but acceptance and compassion wherever her
eyes landed.
After all the talk of French fries and smores, everyone had junk
food on the brain, so they headed to a local mom-and-pop burger
shack by the beach. When Helen and Lucas got up to the counter,
the cashier reached out to touch Helens necklace.
Its a sea horse! I love sea horses, the woman enthused, raising
her hand to touch it, and dropping it again in embarrassment.
Helen thanked herbecause she would have felt rude if she
didntput in her order with Lucas and then they sat down in one
of the booths, where they looked at each other, confused.
Your necklace isnt a sea horse, its a heart, Lucas disagreed
vehemently.
What are you talking about, Luke? Hector said, sounding disparaging.
Helens necklace is a cockleshell. Always has been, although
I just noticed it today. Weird, he said, twisting up his face
in confusion.
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Nuh-uh, Jason said with a disagreeing grimace. Its a strawberry.
I was just looking at it this morning.
Heart, Lucas insisted.
Has everyone lost their minds? Shes wearing a golden key with
pavé rubies on the top, Ariadne said, reaching out to touch it.
Which, by the way, I think is so lovely.
Helen, still a little punch-drunk with dehydration, got up and
went over to a pair of complete strangers at another booth. She
smiled at the two shocked tourists, pointed to her necklace, and
asked the man closest to her what he thought it looked like.
A rose. Of course, he said with a hopeful smile. His friend
leaned in and took a look, as if he were drawn to it.
Thats a locket, he said with a faraway look in his eye. Just like
my mom used to wear.
Thanks, Helen said to them, then turned and went back to her
table with a shrug. Youre all wrong, except for Lucas. My mom
gave me this charm when I was a baby. Its a heart, and Ive never
worn anything but this heart since, like, forever.
Thats what I see! Cassandra said like she had just solved a
mystery. Ive been wondering what everyone was talking about!
Helen sat back down next to Lucas. Personally, I think you all
see what you want to see.
Cassandras mouth dropped open. Oh my gods! Shes projecting!
Thats why everyone is so cheerful and suddenly started jumping
on top of each other like its mating season at the zoo. she
said. Her eyes were wide. She looked at Hector. I need to go home
right now.
But . . . our burgers, he said, slightly forlorn but also aware of
the fact that he was going to end up doing whatever Cassandra told
him to do.
Well need all this to go, Cassandra said to the food runner. She
turned to Helen. I think Ive figured this out, but I still need to test
it.
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They raced back to the Delos compound, the rowdy group storming
into the library and upsetting Castor and Pallas. Cassandra
dragged one of the ladders over to a high shelf of her choosing and
then had Lucas hold the bottom for her while she climbed. As she
did so she told her father and uncle to look at Helens necklace and
describe what they saw.
It looks like . . . Thats impossible, Pallas said, his eyes hardening
with anger as he took an involuntary step back.
What do you see? Castor cautiously asked his brother.
I gave that to Aileen, Pallas said, pointing to Helens necklace
like he was accusing Helen of stealing it.
Cass? Lucas called up to his sister, worried.
Her necklace looks like whatever would attract the person who
looks at it. That ability is only related to one goddess and one relic,
Cassandra called down, still searching for something. Aphrodites
cestus.
That cant be, Pallas said, shaking his head. We might as well
say she has the aegis of Zeus. Or the Loch Ness monster, for that
matter. Its folklore, it doesnt exist.
Whats a cestus? Helen asked quietly, in case it was such a stupid
question everyone needed to be able to pretend like they didnt
hear her.
The cestus is Aphrodites girdle, Lucas responded automatically,
his eyes darting from Cassandra to Castor before they landed
back on Helen. Its a mythical object that makes the wearer impervious
to any weapon.
And impossible to resist, Castor added. He cast a worried look
at his son.
And Im supposed to have this thing on me? Well, I hate to
break it to you, but Im fresh out of mythical girdles, Helen said
with a sarcastic laugh, but no one laughed with her.
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Let me see that necklace your mother gave you, Cassandra
replied, coming down the ladder with a book tucked under an arm.
Reaching the bottom, she stretched out her hand.
How long are you going to want it for? Helen asked as she
fingered her necklace uneasily. She really hated to take it off for
any reason, even if that reason was as important as Cassandra was
making it seem.
Ill give it right back. I promise, Cassandra said, keeping her
eyes locked on Helen.
Yes, of course, Helen replied, feeling silly for balking. She obediently
muscled through the naked, panicky feeling that came along
with the thought of removing her necklace. Taking it off, she
handed it over. As soon as she placed it in Cassandras outstretched
hand she felt a burning sensation across her forearm.
Cass, are you crazy? Lucas yelled. He snatched a small blade
out of his sisters grip.
Helen felt someone step against her back and put a hand on her
shoulder, and, from his size, Helen knew it was Hector, supporting
and protecting her.
Im sorry, Helen. But it was the only way to prove it, Cassandra
said, biting her lower lip and looking up with defensive eyes.
Its okay, Helen mumbled, not understanding what had
happened yet. Everyone was staring at her arm. She looked down
and saw a thin red cut dripping blood onto the carpet.
But its just a necklace, Helen repeated as she ran the charm
along the chain and looked at her arm. The cut had already healed.
It becomes whatever you need it to be, thats part of its magic,