Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

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.?