Dreamless

down the countertop for the thousandth time to keep herself awake, Helen heard the bells on the front door jingle as someone walked in. She wanted to scream. It was so late, so tantalizingly close to closing. The only thing she wanted was for the night to end so she could count her drawer, go home, and flop into bed. She could tell Zach to scram at ten o’clock sharp, but a new customer could take forever. She heard Kate squeal with happy surprise.
    “Hector!”
    Helen was out front, jumping into Hector’s arms along with Kate, in about half a second.
    Hector picked up both of them easily, one girl to an arm. Although it usually took Hector about five minutes to say something that annoyed the bejeezus out of Helen, when he smiled and held out his arms for a hug she forgot how much of a pain in the ass he usually was. Hanging from Hector’s neck was like reaching up and hugging the sun—nothing but nurturing warmth and light.
    “I could get used to this!” Hector chuckled, holding them both up in the air and squeezing them until they were breathless.
    “But Noel and I just talked a few hours ago! She told me you were still in Europe, studying. What are you doing on Nantucket?” Kate asked when Hector put them down.
    “I got homesick,” he said with a shrug. Helen knew he was telling the truth, even if the whole cover story about studying in Europe was a lie. “It’s just a quick visit. I’m not staying long.”
    The three of them chatted pleasantly for another few minutes, although Hector kept shooting Helen worried looks. If Hector was concerned for her, then Helen knew she must be a scary sight. Excusing herself, she went into the back to throw some water on her face.
    When Helen returned to the Kate’s Cakes section, Zach wasn’t in his seat, but hurrying back to it. He gathered up his things in a rush and bolted out of the café, his eyes glued to the floor. Helen followed him hesitantly to the front, watching him plow past Hector and out the door. Hector raised his eyebrows at the strange behavior.
    “We’ll miss him horribly,” Kate said sarcastically. Then she checked the time. “You know what? If I hurry, I can make a drop at the bank before the last pickup. Can you close up alone, Lennie?”
    “I’ll help her,” Hector offered, making Kate smile.
    “Are you sure? You know I can only pay you in food, right?” Kate warned playfully.
    “Deal.”
    “You’re the best! Be sure to box up as many leftovers as you want for your family, too,” Kate said as she gathered her things and headed for the door.
    “I’ll do that,” Hector called as she jogged out the door. He sounded cheery enough as he shouted good-bye, but his face fell as soon as Kate was gone.
    No matter how much he would have loved to do as Kate asked, there was no way Hector could bring his family anything. Helen touched his arm consolingly and then pulled him into a hug when she saw him shake his head.
    “I couldn’t stay away. I had to see someone related to me.” He squeezed Helen tight, like he could hug his whole family through her. “I’m glad I can be with you at least, Princess.”
    As Helen hugged him back, a black anger started to rise up out of the tenderness she felt, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was still calling her “Princess” even though she’d asked him a million times not to. How dare the Furies separate Hector from the people he loved? He was more committed to family than anyone Helen had met. Now, more than ever, the Delos family needed Hector’s strength to carry them through, but he was an Outcast. Helen had to find Persephone and beg her to help. She needed to end this.
    “So you just stopped by because you needed a hug?” Helen asked sardonically when they pulled apart, trying to lighten the mood.
    “No,” he said seriously. “Not that a hug from you isn’t worth it, but there’s something else. Did you hear anything about a break-in at the Getty?”
    Helen shook her head, and Hector pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket pocket and showed it to Helen.
    “It was obviously a Scion,” Helen said as she read the description of the impossible break-in and the stolen artifacts. “Who did it?”
    “We don’t know. Daphne’s asked all the Rogues and Outcasts she knows, but so far no one’s admitted to it.” Hector rubbed his lower lip with his thumb. It was a gesture Helen had seen his father make when he was thinking. “We can’t figure out why these gold