Goddess (Starcrossed)

that.
    “ Don’t call me . . .”
    “He’s your champion, Helen!” Lucas snapped, and his tone was not playful like Hector’s.
    Helen looked at Lucas. The fear and frustration in his eyes silenced her immediately. She knew Lucas was upset with her for not handing over Everyland when Zeus asked for it. She wanted to scream at him that she had a plan , damn it, but of course, she didn’t dare do that.
    “You took an oath, and for us, those aren’t just words,” Lucas continued. “You cannot walk into that arena. Only Hector can meet your challenger now.”
    “W-wait,” Helen said stumblingly, her tongue growing heavy in her mouth with fear as the first part of her plan came undone. “Matt said he doesn’t want Hector, he only wants me. So this is my fight.”
    “No it isn’t,” Hector said seriously. All his lighthearted joking vanished, and Helen could hear the voice of an ancient hero in him.
    For a moment she saw Hector standing on a great wall, watching Achilles half insane with grief over the death of Patroclus, beating the horses of his chariot raw while calling out Hector’s name to meet him in single combat. Matt didn’t look like Achilles, but he had the same presence, the same power. She didn’t know how it had happened, but somehow, Matt had become Achilles, the Warrior.
    “This has always been my fight,” Hector said gently.
    “Don’t do it,” she whispered, her voice failing as she remembered what happened the last time.
    “Don’t do it!” echoed another, much more strident voice.
    Helen turned and saw Andy pushing her way through the disturbed crowd. Her face was shocked, like she couldn’t believe what she was saying and doing, but couldn’t seem to stop herself.
    Andy made her way through the commotion and stood inches away from Hector, begging him with her eyes. “Don’t fight him.”
    “Tempting,” he said, smiling down on her lovely and totally confused face. “But who would I be if I didn’t? Not myself, that’s for sure. You know I have to do this, Andy.”
    “I love you,” she blurted out, completely horrified that she was saying something so sappy in front of a huge crowd like this.
    “Well, it’s about time,” Hector replied sarcastically.
    For a second, it looked like Andy was going to punch him, so Hector did the wise thing and kissed her. When he finally pulled away he did so reluctantly.
    “Hold that thought?” he asked her, his eyes vulnerable. Andy nodded slowly and released him.
    Hector turned to Lucas, Jason, and Orion, holding out his hand for his sword. Lucas handed it to him, his face darkened with frustration. Embracing his brothers one by one, Hector walked into the ring alone.
    Helen went to Lucas, pleading in a low voice. “Is there anything we can do to stop this? Think, Lucas.”
    “Nothing. Only one of them can leave that ring alive,” he replied angrily. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
    She didn’t. Helen had no idea if her plan would work. The only thing she knew was that she had to try to change things, and sticking close to her Shield while she thought it out was the only chance she had. Helen backed up until she was leaning against Orion to brace herself. Lucas swallowed hard and looked away.
    “He’s hurt,” Orion whispered in her ear. “He thinks you’re choosing me over him.”
    Helen knew this. She also knew that every second she hung on Orion hurt Lucas more and more. But there was nothing she could do about it right then.
    “Just help me come up with a way to save Hector,” Helen whispered back.
    “I can’t,” Orion replied. He wrapped his arms around Helen and squeezed, more to comfort himself than her. She stayed near him, hoping that not only was she protected from the Fates by Orion’s presence, but that Hector was as well.
    “It could be different this time,” she said, feeling optimistic as she watched Hector and Matt face off. She lowered her voice to the softest of whispers and pressed her lips to Orion’s ear to make sure the gods didn’t hear. “With you around, the Fates can’t use him.”
    Orion nodded, and when he pulled back and looked at Helen there was cautious optimism in his eyes.
    The first blows came so fast Helen could barely see them. Even though Helen had fought Hector many times, and even though he’d trained her from day one, she still couldn’t believe that such a big guy could move so gracefully and so swiftly.
    But this new, supercharged Matt was just as