Starcrossed

to think for a moment. She wasn’t entirely sure.
    “I guess the first thing I need to know is who hurt Kate,” she said, dreading the answer.
    “We have no idea,” he answered, sounding earnest. Helen’s heart sank. She knew from the night before that although Lucas couldn’t bear to be lied to, it didn’t stop him from telling a few whoppers of his own.
    “That doesn’t make sense, Lucas,” she said carefully. “Your father told me that I was the only one of . . . our kind . . . who was not a member of your House. How can you not know two women who, by that logic, are related to you?”
    Lucas nodded, like he understood why Helen doubted him. “The House of Thebes is very large. Our immediate family—those of us who moved back here to the States—are a just a tiny splinter group, but the main part of the House of Thebes is much, much larger. They’re known as the Hundred Cousins, although there are a lot more of them than that now, and they’re loosely led by my uncle Tantalus,” he said, looking down at his coffee, his eyes far away. “My dad knows everyone in our House on sight, but I don’t, and he wasn’t there when you were attacked. Helen, I’ve got so many cousins, there are some I’ve never even heard of, let alone seen.”
    “If your uncle is the leader, can’t you just call and ask him which of your cousins is trying to kill me?”
    “Tantalus may have been the one who sent them,” he said darkly. “But we don’t know that for sure yet. My uncle Pallas—Hector, Jason, and Ariadne’s father—he went back to Europe after the first attack on you to see how much Tantalus knows.” Helen studied his face for a moment. It was all sharp edges and glittering blue eyes.
    “You mean spy on the rest of the House,” Helen said, surprised. He nodded. “But why would your family go through so much for me? I’m grateful, but still. What else aren’t you telling me?”
    He tore at his croissant for a moment and then let out a fast breath.
    “The Hundred Cousins are a kind of cult. They believe something that my family doesn’t, and they believe it so fanatically that they are willing to kill for it. That’s why we left Spain. Hector . . .” Lucas trailed off, and then shook his head as if to clear it before turning his focus back on Helen. “The point is that you’re in a lot of danger. I’ve been following you since I first saw you, but I can’t guard you every second. If either one of those women finds you without me there, they’ll try to kill you, and you don’t know how to defend yourself yet.”
    “Well, it’s not like I’ve ever had to defend myself,” Helen said, at a loss. “I mean, this is Nantucket . My dad and I forget to lock the front door more often than not!”
    “You’re very important to us. Much more than I can explain to you right now,” Lucas said, leaning forward and taking her hands. “I know you said you needed a few days, and I didn’t want to freak you out by throwing all of this at you at once, but you have to start training with us as soon as you can. My family will teach you how to fight.”
    “You mean like judo and stuff?”
    “Sort of,” Lucas said, smiling reassuringly. “Don’t look so worried. With your gifts you’ll be kicking ass in no time.”
    “What gifts?” Helen asked doubtfully.
    “You really don’t know, do you?” he marveled.
    “Hey, Luke, what’s up?” Zach asked, entering the café. He was smiling, but his smile faded as soon as he saw whom Lucas was with. Behind him stood a few guys from the football team, all of whom were staring, openmouthed, at the unlikely pairing.
    “Hey, Zach. Getting some coffee. You?” Lucas answered, totally unfazed. Helen gave a watered-down smile and untucked her hair from behind her ears to hide her face. Lucas reached across the table and smoothed her hair back behind her shoulder.
    “Same, yeah,” Zach mumbled as he nearly tripped over himself to get away, his eyes darting between Helen and Lucas with disbelief. “See you in a few,” he called out before joining the other guys in line.
    Helen bit her lip and stared at her coffee cup, rubbing her stomach under the table as subtly as possible. Please, no cramps , she thought.
    “What’s the matter?” Lucas asked, watching her.
    “Nothing. Can we just go?” she pleaded, desperate to change the subject, get away, maybe drop dead if at all possible.
    “Sure,” Lucas said, standing up. He gave her a worried