Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

Hector, mostly,? Lucas said with a dark look on his face.

?Did your uncle learn anything about those two women? The

ones who attacked me?? Helen whispered tensely.

?No, that?s still a mystery. None of Uncle Pallas?s contacts know

anything about them. We don?t think Tantalus knows about you

yet, but no one has seen Tantalus in years, so it?s difficult to say for

sure what he?s got planned.?

?No one?s seen Tantalus?? Helen asked, stunned. ?How does he

lead, then??

?Through his wife. She?s the one who gives all the orders to the

Hundred Cousins, and has been for almost nineteen years now.?

?Why??

?It?s a long story,? Lucas said, frowning and looking down. Helen

could tell that meant that it was an important story.

?My favorite kind,? she said, angling her head so she could catch

his downcast eyes. When she did, she smiled coaxingly at him until

he gave in. Lucas took her hand absentmindedly and started playing

with her fingers as he spoke.

?My father had another brother. He was the youngest of the boys

and everyone?s favorite. Even Tantalus loved him the most,? he

said with a grimace, as if he had a hard time believing Tantalus

loved much of anything. ?His name was Ajax.?

?What happened to him? Did he die?? Helen asked carefully. Lucas

nodded.

?He was murdered. By someone he couldn?t stay away from,? he

said quickly. Frustrated, he brushed a hand over his face before he

continued. ?Anyway. When Ajax was killed, my uncle Tantalus

went into hiding to protect himself. As head of the House, he

feared being overthrown. After that, all of his orders either came in

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