Goddess (Starcrossed 3)

Helen heard Jason say, “Luke’s alive? You sure?” and then she moved down the hall. Claire joined Helen outside Jason’s bedroom while he threw on some clothes. Moments later, he met them in the hallway.

“Jerry’s condition has changed?” Jason asked Helen in an excited whisper.

“Well, no,” Helen said. They got to Jerry’s room and went in, closing the door behind them so they could speak more freely. “I just found out he’s being drugged.”

“Drugged?” Jason repeated in a disbelieving tone. “If it was a drug, I’d have been able to sense the damage it would do to his body.”

“That’s just it. Morpheus told me that the drug isn’t hurting him. It’s just keeping him asleep.”

“Morpheus. The god of dreams.” Jason stared at her blankly. “Do you two hang out now, or something?”

“Will you please just check?” Helen asked urgently, gesturing down to her father’s sleeping form.

“I’m sorry, Helen. My power doesn’t work like a blood test. I can’t detect chemicals, only damage to the body. I can’t remove chemicals, either, unless they are the pathogen that’s hurting the patient. My talent only allows me to fix what’s broken.”

“So what can we do to help him?” Claire asked.

“Nothing,” Jason responded. “All we can do is wait for the drug to wear off. And keep whoever’s drugging him away so they can’t administer more. Who’s doing this to him, anyway?”

Helen clenched her teeth, too ticked off to even say her mother’s name.

“Daphne,” Claire told him, when it became obvious that Helen couldn’t. Jason sighed and nodded.

“Looking back, Daphne always did seem to show up just as Jerry was waking. She’d stay to watch him, and a few minutes later he’d go under again.” He looked at Helen contritely. “I’m sorry, Helen. It never even crossed my mind that Daphne would do that to him.”

“It’s not your fault, Jason. It’s mine. I know what a nightmare she is, and I still let her be near him,” Helen said ruefully. “Any idea how long before he wakes up again?”

Jason held a glowing hand over Jerry’s head, his eyes closed in concentration.

“He’s completely out,” he said, opening his eyes. “He could be like this another twelve to sixteen hours, I’d say. That’s just a rough guess, though.”

“Thanks,” Helen replied.

“So. How’s Lucas?” Jason asked tentatively.

“He’s totally fine,” Helen said, smiling. “In fact, I gotta go get him.”

“Get him?” Jason asked, his relieved look fading. “Can’t he fly? Or is he still too injured to walk? We’ll all come help . . . Hector!” Jason turned and started calling loudly for his brother.

“Jason—wait. It’s not that at all,” Helen said, reaching out to stop him. But Hector had already come to his bedroom door. Behind him, Helen could see Orion getting out of the guest bed in Hector’s room.

“What?” Hector growled peevishly at his brother, and then noticed Helen. “Where have you been?” he asked her, coming out into the hallway.

“Helen?” Orion asked, following Hector.

“Oh, good. You’re here,” she said. “Don’t go anywhere.”

“Okay,” Orion said tentatively, not understanding her. “Where’s Lucas?”

Both he and Hector were looking up and down the hall for Lucas.

“Oh, for the love of Pete,” Helen mumbled to herself, running a hand over her face. “He’s fine! Would I be wandering around, not sobbing my brains out, if he were dead?”

By this point, Castor and Noel, Pallas, Cassandra, Kate, and Andy were all awake and looking out their bedroom doors at Helen. She held up her hands before everyone could start talking at once.

“Lucas is absolutely one hundred percent alive and healthy and waiting for me in a safe place,” she announced.

“Where?” Castor asked, his face both hopeful and confused.