they are ?destined? to be with, and then they go and have about
a billion kids really young, the older generation sometimes has the
dubious honor of seeing the faces of people they once knew?and
here?s the real bitch?the faces of people they once fought against,
in the younger generation. Sometimes, even in their own children
or in someone who their children love.?
?Oh. That doesn?t sound good,? Helen said, a strange dread growing
in her. ?Pallas hated me the first time he saw me. So who do I
look like??
Pandora sighed. The spangles on her wrist shook as she took
Helen?s hand.
?This totally sucks,? she said apologetically. ?But you look exactly
like Daphne Atreus?the woman who killed our brother Ajax
twenty-one years ago.?
Helen noticed that Pandora stumbled over his name. For a moment,
Helen thought the usually happy Pandora would cry.
?But I didn?t do it! I didn?t kill your brother,? Helen said, shaken
to a whisper by the depth of emotion she was seeing. Hearing
Helen?s urgency, Pandora snapped out of her sad thoughts and
squeezed Helen?s hand.
?I know that!? she exclaimed kindly. ?It?s insane to blame you,
and most of us don?t. I certainly don?t. We have no way of knowing
if you?re even from her House.?
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?But Pallas does,? Helen said, finally getting Pallas?s instant dislike
of her. Pandora nodded reluctantly.
?When we lost Ajax it?s like we lost the best of us,? Pandora said,
her eyes downcast and her lower lip momentarily catching between
her teeth. ?Ajax was . . . the best. You should have seen him. Actually,
you can see him.?