Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

the kitchen, his hair damp from a shower. ?I?m dying to know

how Sparky here does her little impervious trick.?

?I tried to get him to lie down, but he wouldn?t listen,? Pandora

complained from the hallway behind him. Hector walked straight

over to Lucas.

?How are you feeling?? Lucas asked guiltily.

Hector clasped hands with him. ?It?s okay, brother. I would have

done the same thing if I were you,? he said. Then he flashed one of

his mischievous smiles. ?Only I would have hit you harder.?

They hugged each other, and just like that the whole confrontation

was forgotten. Ariadne started to ask Pandora a question, but

Helen couldn?t hold her tongue for a second longer.

214/395

?Will someone please tell me why you all call me ?Sparky??? she

burst out in frustration. ?And if I get stabbed one more time tonight

I?m going to lose it!? she added, rounding on Jason who was

sneaking up behind her holding a stapler.

?You haven?t told her yet?? Cassandra said to Lucas with disbelief.

?You should have done it days ago.?

?I was going to tell her today, but I never got the chance,? he

replied, looking at the floor.

Helen thought about how he had hunted her down in the hallway

after school, like he had something urgent to say, and how she had

told him she didn?t want to see him. But that was his fault, she reminded

herself. He was the one who was forcing himself to teach

her how to fight and fly, right?

?Well, tell me now, then,? she said briskly. Lucas looked up at her

sharply. His eyes were angry.

?You can generate lightning. Electricity. I don?t know how strong

a charge you can create, but from what I?ve felt, and what Hector