by Unknown
away from her to get a better look. He studied her bedraggled
clothes speckled with sand, and asked suspiciously, What
happened to you today besides Creon?
How is that fair? she demanded. She pushed him from her with
a bitter laugh. If I lie to you youll know, and if I stay silent youll
assume something worse than the truth.
Then just tell me as much or as little as you want, he said
quietly, stepping away from her to allow her some personal space.
But tell me something. What happened?
I was dodging practice because I couldnt bear to see you. Hector
found me hiding on the beach, I got in his face, and he nearly
drowned me to teach me a lesson in humility, she blurted, tears of
exhaustion brimming in her eyes. Then I went to Claires to cry on
her shoulder and tell her I was a Scion. Then I flew home, where
Creon attacked me, tried to break my neck, and stabbed me in the
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heart. You pretty much know the rest. Now I just want to take a hot
shower and lie down because Im freezing cold and itchy and I
dont think I can handle anything else happening today.
Okay. You go shower, Luke said, nodding tightly as he stepped
out of her path. Ill wait for you in your room.
Helen staggered up the stairs and ran into the bathroom. She got
into the shower and began to cry. Sitting down in the tub with the
spray fanning out all around her she couldnt stop the tears any
longer. She tried to be as quiet as she could, and hoped that the
droning rush of water would mask the sound of her crying.
When she finally got it all out she dried off, put on a sweetsmelling
tank top and pair of sweatpants fresh from the laundry,
and went back into the foggy bathroom to finish her evening ritual.
As she flossed and brushed her teeth, she heard her dad come
home and turn on the TV in the living room. She went to the top of
the stairs and shouted a good night down to him. He grunted a
good night back, but he was too engrossed in the Red Sox race to
October to start a conversation. Helen went into her bedroom.
Lucas was waiting for her in there. When Helen saw him, lying
on top of her covers fully dressed with his shoes kicked off, she
stopped and stared at him from the doorway. He was too long for
her little-girl bed, but even so he looked just right lying in it. He
stared back at her for a moment before he swallowed painfully, lifted
up the covers, and motioned for her to get in. When she
paused, caught between arguing that her father could walk in at
any second and asking him to take his clothes off, he spoke.
I only have so much willpower, Helen, he whispered. And
since you apparently sleep in the most ridiculously transparent
tank top Ive ever seen, Im going to have to ask you to get under
the covers before I do something stupid.
The blood rushed to Helens face, and she immediately crossed
her arms to cover her chest. She ran and jumped under the covers.
Lucas just laughed and folded the comforter up over her as if it
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were some uncrossable line that would magically keep the two of
them from doing something stupid. As she snuggled down, he
wrapped an arm around her and rubbed his face into the back of
her neck.
No need to be embarrassed. After seeing you in my cousins
nightgown, youve got nothing to hide. But why were you crying in
the shower? he murmured into her hair. She could feel his lips
moving against her scalp, and feel the press of his hips through the
covers, but his arms were an unyielding cage. She tried to turn over
to face him, to welcome him under the covers with her, but he
wouldnt let her.
I was crying because Im frustrated! Why are you doing this?
she whispered into her pillow.
We cant, Helen, was all he said.
He kissed her neck and said he was sorry over and over, but try
as she might, he wouldnt let her face him. She began to feel like
she was being used.
Please be patient, he begged as he stopped her hand from
reaching back to touch him.
She tried to sit up, to push him out of her bed, anything but suffer
lying next to someone who would play with her so terribly. They
wrestled a bit, but he was much better at it than she was and felt
even heavier than he looked. He easily blocked every attempt she
made to wrap her arms or legs or lips around him.
Do you want me at all, or do you just think its fun to tease me
like this? she asked, feeling rejected and humiliated. Wont you
even kiss me? She finally struggled onto her back where she could
at least see his face.
If I kiss you, I wont stop, he said in a desperate whisper as he
propped himself up on his elbows to look her in the eye.
She looked back at him, really seeing him for the first time that
night. His expression was vulnerable and uncertain. His mouth
was swollen with want. His body was shaking, and there was a fine
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layer of anxious sweat wilting his clothes. Helen relaxed back into
the bed with a sigh. For some reason that obviously had nothing to
do with desire, he wouldnt allow himself to be with her.
Youre not laughing at me, are you? she asked warily, just as a
precaution.
No. Theres nothing funny about this, he answered. He shifted
himself off her and lay back down alongside her, still breathing
hard.
But for some reason, you and I will never happen, she said,
feeling calm.
Never say never, he said urgently, rolling back on top of her
and using all of his unusually heavy mass to press her deep into the
cocoon of her little-girl bed. The gods love to toy with people who
use absolutes.
Lucas ran his lips across her throat and let her put her arms
around him, but that was all. He kept her pinned under the
blankets, mummified in miserable chastity, allowing her to hold,
but not fully embrace him.
Do you care for me? More than just in a life or death we need to
stop the Hundred Cousins from starting a war with the gods type
of way? she asked flippantly.
She knew that on some level she was being petty and insecure,
but she needed to know how he felt about her. He propped himself
up on his elbows so he could see her more clearly and so that she
could see him back.
Of course I care for you, he said intently. The only thing I
wouldnt do to be with you is cause innocent people to die. And
thats pretty much it. He moved on to his back again, jabbing a
hand in his hair. But apparently thats enough.
Helen knew there was a lot more behind what he was saying than
he was letting on, but she couldnt bear to ask any questions that
might have awful answers. Shed had enough awful for one day.
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She rolled on top of him and tucked herself into that spot on his
chest that she was convinced
still held a Helen-shaped dent in it.
Just so you know? Just so were clear. I care about you, too. And
if this hug is all I can have, Id prefer it over anything else from
anyone else.
Thats because youve never been with a man, Luke said as he
kissed the bit of skin on her forehead that was just about to be hair.
Now go to sleep, he ordered.
Helen would have argued, but she was too damn tired from fighting
for her life twice in one day to do more than blink contrarily.
Lucass arms wove a safe basket around her mending heart and she
relaxed completely into him. She listened to the particular resonance
of his breathing, a sound that she already knew so well, and
fell into a deep, nightmare-free sleep.
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UNCORRECTED E-PROOFNOT FOR SALE
HarperCollins Publishers
.....................................................................
Chapter Thirteen
Swathed in black shadows, Creon crouched outside Helens
house, his eyes glued to her bedroom window. He could
hear Hector four doors down, slipping through the neighbors
yard, searching for him. But Creon knew Hector
didnt have a prayer. No one could find Creon at night if he
didnt want to be found.
His little cousin Lucas was up there, in Helens bed, holding her
while she slept. Creon shook from head to toe, resisting the nearly
all-consuming urge to leap through the glass and fight his cousin
for her life. Or maybe just for her. Creon wasnt sure what he
would do anymore, and he didnt like this newfound uncertainty.
He gritted his teeth and forced himself to get control. If he challenged
his cousin, it would be a fight to the death. Creon had no
doubt he would win, but in winning he would lose everything. He
would become an Outcast, and Atlantis would remain lost.
The choice was clear: immortality or Helen. So why was he
sweating with the effort to resist? He heard Helen sighing in her
sleep and Lucas shifting his body under hers, pulling her even
closer. Creons legs straightened as if of their own accord. He took
two steps toward the window, his head swimming in the red-lit
haze of bloodlust.
His phone vibrated in his pocket.
Alerted to the danger, Hector broke into a sprint and headed
straight for that slight sound. Creon had no choice but to run. He
couldnt take both his cousins and Helen. He would have to come
back some other time.
It took him ten minutes to lose Hector in the center of the island.
His cousin was persistent, but eventually the suffocating darkness
of Creons shadows disoriented Hector enough so that Creon could
slip away.
Trotting up the eastern side of the beach, Creon finally checked
the ID on the call that had saved him from a terrible mistake. It
didnt surprise him that it was from his mother. She may not be a
Scion, but she had uncanny timing. He called her back and told her
what he had found tucked away on that tiny island.
At first she didnt believe him, though in her careful choice of
words, Creon sensed that her incredulity came not from a belief
that what he had described was impossible, but rather that she
doubted Helen herself was responsible for the phenomenon he had
witnessed. Somehow, his mother had seen or heard of a Scion being
able to break blades with his or her skin before, and Creon
pressed her to tell him who it was. Instead of answering, she asked
yet again for Creon to describe Helen. He did.
Well, it must have been that your blade was defective. From how
you describe Helen, it cant be her or her daughter, Mildred said
quickly.
Creon continued to press his mother and she grew increasingly
frustrated, raising her voice and even swearing a bit. Creon was
shocked by her crass behavior. A lady never cheapened herself by
using foul language, and he hadnt even considered his mother
capable of it until that moment. He asked her politely how she
could be so sure his blade was defective.
Because if this girl truly was impervious to weapons, then you
would have also said she has the most beautiful face youve ever
seen. You wouldnt be able to ignore that factits in your blood,
she replied petulantly.
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And if she does have the most beautiful face Ive ever seen?
What then? Creon asked calmly, although a wonderful rush of adrenaline
was sending a chill across his skin. The line went silent for
a full five seconds.
You need to come home now. We need to tell your father. This is
much bigger than you know, Mildred finally choked out before
she abruptly ended the call.
The next morning Helen jerked herself awake, her entire body
snapping from sleep to high alert in a blink. Her hand flew to that
spot on her chest where Creons blade had broken, and she had to
press her fingers into her breastbone to convince herself that there
was no gaping hole there.
She heard faint whispers coming from across the room. Sitting
up, she saw Lucas standing in the window, talking to someone outside
in such a low voice that no human could hear. The clock by her
bed read 5:25, and the sky was barely gray with the dawn.
Shes safe, thats all that matters, Lucas said out the window.
Not all that matters, came the whispered reply.
Helen got out of bed and joined Lucas at the window. She looked
down and saw Hector standing on the edge of her lawn. He looked
up at them, glancing back and forth from Helen to Lucas, an indignant
look on his face.
You okay? Hector asked Helen gruffly.
Yeah. But you dont look so hot, she said. Even from one flight
up she could see that Hectors eyes were bloodshot with fatigue
and worry. He grimaced sarcastically at her compassionate look,
and turned to Lucas with a warning.
Stay high until were sure. Shes safer in the air.
Hector ran off so fast that Helen could only make out his blur.
Lucas shut the window and leaned against it. His eyes were wide
and unblinking.
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What was that about? Helen asked in a nearly inaudible voice.
She could hear her dads deep breathing from his bedroom. Thankfully,
he was still asleep.
My family went looking for Creon last night, Lucas answered
with downturned eyes. We think he caught a charter flight off the
island, but we arent sure yet.
Hes gone? Helen asked, a little too hopefully.
Maybe. But if he did leave, it wont be forever. Lucas stared at
Helen so intensely she had to reach out and touch him somehow
just to break the tension. She stepped forward and placed her hand
on his chest. He was shaking.
Straightening suddenly, Lucas crossed to the door. Put on
something warm.
Why? Where are we going? she whispered.
Up.
As soon as they were airborne, Lucas seemed to relax a little, but
not much. She asked for a flying lesson, partly because she wanted
to learn, but mostly just to distract him. They worked on Helens
air-pressure control for over an hour before they got a call from his
family. Castor had called from the airport, finally confirming that
Creon had left the island by private charter like they had suspected,
and it was safe for Lucas to bring Helen in.
Hector took the phone and insisted they come in right awayhe
wanted her to resume her combat training that morning. The cousins
got into a heated exchange. Finally, Lucas agreed to land, but
he seemed put out by the request.
Whats wrong? Helen asked, confused that he wasnt happier to
learn that Creon was gone.
Hector has the wrong idea about us being up here alone. Im not
keeping you aloft so we can . . . damn it, you need to learn this! he
snapped, raking a hand through his hair. I want you to be able to
fly away from trouble, rather than try to stand and fight.
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Me too, she replied enthusiastically, grabbing on to Lucass
shoulders so she didnt waft away. Call your cousins back and tell
them were not done. Id rather spend the day flying with you than
getting sweated on by Hector any time.
Lucas gave Helen a sinking look, like he was thinking a painful
thought. Wed better go in, he finally decided, his face darkening.
You need to learn both.
Helen knew Lucas was worried, but after spending the morning
soaring weightless, she couldnt feel anything but elated. She took
both his hands and swung him around her so they spun in a spiral
and tumbled in the air like they were on a roller coaster. The
swooping sensation in her stomach made Helen shriek, but it
worked. Lucas grinned and took the bait.
He seized on her arms and brought her into a dive that had her
screaming bloody murder. At the last moment he pulled up, holding
Helen cradled in his arms before allowing her to float to his
side. They hovered over the Delos lawn like that for a moment,
holding hands and laughing hysterically. They failed to notice the
worried stares they were getting from the rest of the Delos family
inside the house.
Now, before you land Im going to teach you another skill, Lucas
said as he looped over her shoulder and put an arm around her
from behind. Im going to teach you how to transition into the