Goddess (Starcrossed)

future.
    Fear ballooned inside of Lucas. Not because the gods were among them again, but because Helen was at the center of it all. She inspired such love in him, in Orion, even in a goddess. There was no hate without love, and Lucas couldn’t help but think that they would all soon be facing a desperate fight because of the pure love they all felt in that moment.
    “A touching reunion,” said the bare-chested man with black hair. “But your man lost, Aphrodite. And you still owe me our wager.”
    Lucas pushed his way through the group and faced what looked like a wet and slightly feral version of himself. “This is not a game for the gods to bet on. These are our lives.”
    Poseidon studied Lucas, and laughed. “The Fates would put my face on a moralizing sap. Let me tell you something, boy. I don’t care what the Fates want. In the sea, the big fish eat the little ones. You’re going to have to grow some thicker skin if you’re the one who’s supposed to try and replace me.”
    “At least he’s intelligent,” said another familiar voice. A god who looked like Hector’s twin came down the other end of the beach, interrupting Lucas before he could question Poseidon’s last remark. “My would-be replacement is brave, but he’s got to be the dumbest of all the Scion mongrels. He actually wanted to challenge me—still mortal as he is. It’s embarrassing, really.”
    Lucas automatically grabbed Hector by the arm. He could feel his cousin itching to jump Apollo, immortal or not, and that would probably get them all killed.
    A burst of freezing air from the center of the circle interrupted a fight before it could begin.
    “Now, now, Apollo,” said the young, blond man who stood in the patch of newly formed ice. A gust of air passed over Lucas, but it wasn’t sea air. It smelled like the mountains, laden with herbs and smelling faintly of stone. It had to be from another world. “None of us make wise decisions when it comes to women. Hector is no exception. He wants his Andromache for himself. Can you blame him?”
    The young blond man was tall but no giant. He wasn’t exceptionally muscular, either, but despite the fact that both Poseidon and Apollo were larger and more physically developed, he radiated power as he walked to Helen and Aphrodite. The goddess nodded at the god respectfully, but it was Helen whom he addressed.
    “Well, daughter. You’ve been busy,” Zeus said in a softly scolding tone.
    Lucas schooled his face so he didn’t give away his emotions as he thought this through frantically. He had known for a while that the Fates assigned roles, trading out new actors in each new cycle so that everything stayed the same even as it changed. Lucas quickly looked around at the gods and their Scion doubles before his gaze settled on Orion. Orion’s twin was missing.
    “What do you want from us?” Helen asked, squaring off with Zeus. Lucas couldn’t help but be proud of her, even though it was insane to talk to a god like that. Zeus had cursed entire generations for lesser offenses, but Helen didn’t show a drop of fear.
    “Not us . It’s what I want from you , Helen.” Zeus spoke softly but his voice still seemed to boom.
    “What’s that?” Helen asked cautiously, her bravado wearing thin.
    Poseidon and Apollo positioned themselves behind Zeus. Aphrodite kissed Helen’s cheek, released her hand, and reluctantly went to stand behind her father. Hector, Lucas, and Jason all reacted in kind and angled themselves behind Helen and Orion.
    “I want your shiny new world,” Zeus replied.
    More gods joined him. A huge woman in armor came first. Then a boy who moved so fast he seemed to buzz like a hummingbird, a hunchback carrying a hammer, a man with grapevines in his hair, and finally another woman wearing a dress of peacock feathers, all fell in behind Zeus.
    Helen looked at Orion. Lucas bit down hard, grinding his teeth to keep himself from yelling. Didn’t she just tell him a few hours ago that he was the one who helped her figure out everything? Lucas watched as an understanding passed between Orion and Helen. He didn’t know what it was because she was withholding information. Again. Helen and Orion made a silent agreement, and she turned to face Zeus.
    “You can’t have it,” Helen said deliberately.
    Zeus smiled like Helen had just given him keys to the world he really wanted. “Challenge.”
     
    Helen hoped like hell this worked.
    “Accepted,” Hector said, barreling