Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

a hand through air as if to banish the thought. ?As far as I?m

concerned the laws of hospitality were not violated.?

As she said those last words, Helen noticed Lucas?s eyes snap

over to Daphne, and she knew that he had sensed a lie, but decided

to overlook it for the greater good.

?I called this meeting to address two very important matters that

concern both our Houses,? Daphne continued in a smooth voice.

?The first is Hector and his future, and the second is my daughter

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and her part in the prophecy.? Helen?s head spun around to face

her mother.

?My what?? she asked, completely at a loss.

Helen wasn?t the only one in the room who didn?t understand.

Castor and Pallas looked around, confused, and even Cassandra

shrugged as if to admit she had no idea what Daphne meant.

Jason stood up and took a stiff step forward.

?Helen is the Descender that the Oracle mentioned in their

prophecy?the prophecy that says that the Descender will free the

Houses from the cycle of revenge,? he said from his place behind

his father?s seat. ?I only realized it this afternoon, when Helen described

the dry lands so perfectly that I knew she?d seen them. That

puzzled me at first because I know she isn?t a Healer. Then she told

me that she would come down and drag both Claire and me out if I

wasn?t strong enough to make the journey on my own. From her

confidence, I knew she meant what she said, and I also suspected

that she had physically been there more than once.?

?The dust on your feet!? Ariadne exclaimed as she recalled

Helen?s dirty feet and the mystery of the un-rung jingle bells.

?What about it?? Helen asked, looking around at everyone?s immobile

faces.