Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

convinced Lucas would have put up a fight, but he allowed Jason to

lead him upstairs. Everyone else filed out of the kitchen, looking

sad. Everyone except for Pallas, that is. Helen noticed that he

looked satisfied. Even a little smug.

?Sit,? Noel said, pulling out a chair for herself, facing Helen. ?You

don?t understand what?s happening, do you??

Helen shook her head and swallowed. Noel asked another question.

?Ariadne explained the Truce to you, right??

?She said the Houses have to stay separate or the gods will come

back and start the Trojan War all over again,? Helen croaked

through a tight throat.

?Right. Now what does that mean? What would be the simplest

way for the Houses to be unified?? Noel asked sharply. Helen

shook her head again, scared dumb, and Noel continued. ?There

are two obvious ways. One House can destroy the others, or the

Houses can intermarry. Usually this is impossible for Scions because

the Furies keep everyone hating everyone else, but that isn?t

an issue for you and Lucas.?

296/395

Helen let out a giant breath of relief.

?Is that it?? she asked. ?Nobody?s marrying anybody! Lucas and I

are way too young! We?re not that stupid.?

Noel shook her head, as if Helen had missed the point.

?Do you know how marriage was defined in ancient Greece??

Noel said in a calmer tone. ?It?s really simple. A virgin goes to

man?s house with the family gathered as witnesses. The virgin and

the man share a fire, a meal, and a bed. If the girl wasn?t a virgin in

the morning, then the couple was considered married. That?s it.

That?s all it took. You?re still a virgin, right??

Helen blushed furiously, her jaw dropping. ?Yes. But that?s no