Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

Lucas.

?I?m with my mother, Daphne, and my mother only. We are not

being coerced by any other individual, family, or House,? Helen

announced to the room as smoothly as if she were playing a recording.

?My mother and I are preparing to leave the island together,

and we ask that you allow us to leave it in peace. I am not in any

physical danger. You know all of this is true, because your

Falsefinders can hear it in my voice. Good-bye. I will miss you all.?

The line went silent. Lucas stared at the phone as Claire switched

out of speaker mode, put her phone to her ear, and repeated

Helen?s name a few times.

?That wasn?t her,? Lucas insisted, shaking his head repeatedly.

He felt something was off, like there was a lie lurking somewhere.

Helen wasn?t supposed to leave him. Ever. ?She?d never call me a

?Falsefinder? like that.?

?Lucas, it was her,? Claire insisted, finally meeting Lucas?s eyes

and giving him a sad look as she did so. ?I know she sounded really

weird, but it was Helen. You know that.?

?Was she lying?? Castor asked Lucas.

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?No,? Lucas answered hoarsely, as though his voice couldn?t entirely

commit to something that the rest of him knew was so

wrong. ?She told no lies.?

?So Daphne is alive,? Pallas breathed, his eyes wide and blank

with shock.

?We still don?t know if ?Daphne? is Daphne Atreus,? Castor said,

blocking his brother from leaving the room.

?Enough, Castor. Just stop it,? Pallas said, a note of weariness

weighing his voice down. ?I thought Helen was that Atreus whore

when I first saw her!?