Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

Zeus, they who are beloved by Aphrodite, and give them shelter in

the Royal House of Thebes. Oh! Caution! Betrayal . . .? She broke

off uncertainly. The light left her, and she began to shake. She

looked frightened, but not even Lucas wanted to go near her.

?Are you okay?? Lucas asked her quietly from across the room,

breaking the unnatural silence. She nodded and rubbed her hands

over her shoulders and upper arms, suddenly looking much smaller

than she was.

?You?re going to need to take Hector and the twins with you,? she

warned. ?I think there?s going to be a fight.?

?I?ll go, too,? Castor said, but Cassandra shook her head.

?If Daphne sees you or Pallas, she?ll run,? she said with an apologetic

shrug.

?So our children are to go face her alone? No. Daphne is too dangerous.

We can?t let them anywhere near her,? Pallas objected as

his anger gave way to fear. ?She seduced Ajax and murdered him!?

?We don?t know that!? Castor yelled out in frustration.

For a moment it looked like Castor was going to hit his brother,

but Hector insinuated himself in between them. Lucas nearly

screamed with frustration, wondering how Scions had ever survived

this long. They were always at each other?s throats, and none

of this infighting got him any closer to Helen.

?Everyone calm down! Uncle. Father,? Hector said, turning from

one to the other, and assuring both of them. ?We can handle this.?

There was a gasping laugh, a bitter sound that caught everyone?s

attention. When Lucas looked over, Pandora had a hand over her

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mouth and her eyes were filling up with tears. She looked tenderly

at Hector, and spoke to him from behind her hand.

?You look just like him, you know,? she said with an odd smile.