?I think she was running after someone. I don?t know,? Matt said
skeptically. ?I just heard from Gretchen that Helen was chasing
some guy, then she screamed and fell down.?
?Is that true?? Lucas asked Helen with a tense face. She nodded,
and he smiled back at her, his worried eyes softening for her sake.
He plucked some of her hair off her sweaty forehead and looked
back over his shoulder.
?I?m on it,? said Jason too quietly for a mortal to catch, and then
Helen heard his rapidly retreating footsteps.
?I should go with him,? began Hector?s voice from someplace that
Helen still couldn?t see.
?No, you shouldn?t,? ordered Lucas sharply. ?I need you to get the
girls. They could have whatever sickness Helen has, and they might
need you. Right??
?Right,? Hector said without bitterness, suddenly understanding
Lucas?s hidden meaning. Cassandra and Ariadne were unaware,
unprotected, and therefore in the most danger of being attacked by
the stranger. Hector ran off so silently that Helen couldn?t even
hear his feet brush against the grass, and she couldn?t help but be
both impressed and a little frightened by his skill.
?Matt, can you help me get Helen up? If you could just grab her
feet . . .? Lucas asked in an apologetic voice.
?Sure, no problem,? Matt said as he slipped his hands behind her
knees. ?Jeez, Len, you smell awful! Did you have to fall into every
cranberry bog on the island?? Helen chuckled briefly, but it hurt to
laugh so she stopped.
Helen initially wondered why Lucas would ask Matt for help
when he didn?t need it, but as she listened to them talk and work
together to carry her to Hector?s SUV she realized that Lucas had
to be one of the smartest people she?d ever met. Not only did asking