Starcrossed

Cassandra was not the only being inside that tiny body. She was being visited and maybe even partially controlled by the Three Fates.
    Helen watched as Cassandra cut off her exit. Helen could always fly away, now that she knew how to get airborne, but she wasn’t sure if she could control her flight once she was aloft. She also didn’t know how to land without Lucas holding her hand. But right now she was more afraid of the Oracle with the sword than she was of falling out of the sky. Helen was about to take her chances with flight when Cassandra’s demeanor suddenly changed. She went from being the dark, fiery messenger of the Fates to being a very vulnerable teenager.
    “I saw something, Helen,” she said desperately. “Then I saw it again, and again. I’ve been so ashamed and frightened that I haven’t told anyone else what I saw. And I am so sorry if I’m wrong—for all of our sakes. But I have to do this . . . because . . . this is what comes next.”
    Her eyes were filling up with tears. She looked so tormented Helen would have done anything to make her feel better. She smiled understandingly at Cassandra, who tried to control her hitching breath as she nodded in return and wrapped both hands around the hilt of her sword. She swung it over her shoulder and paused, waiting for Helen to be ready.
    Helen choked back the scream that was trying to climb out of her mouth.
    If Cassandra, the Oracle of Delphi, had foreseen her death, was there any sense in fighting it? Did Helen really have a choice?
    Cassandra swung her sword. In that millisecond Helen knew she’d had a good life, because she suddenly loved it so much that she could have wept with gratitude. She’d had amazing friends, the best dad in the world, and a strong, healthy body. She’d even experienced the joy of flight. And once, just once, in the middle of the night, she’d almost kissed the only boy she’d ever wanted. . . .
    Helen felt a strange, vibrating tickle, like someone had pressed a gigantic kazoo against the side of her throat and blown on it. She saw Cassandra’s eyes widen as she pulled the blade back from the side of Helen’s neck and looked at it.
    The sword was totally mangled in the middle section, all crunched up on itself like a squeezed piece of tinfoil. Cassandra stared at Helen in shock for a moment. Relieved tears spilled down her cheeks.
    “I was right.” She dropped the sword and grabbed Helen in a hug. Then she started jumping up and down, making Helen jump with her. “You’re not dead! This is . . . You have no idea how happy I am I didn’t just kill you!” she squealed.
    “Ditto,” Helen said in a daze. She was alive.
    “Hang on. We still have to test this,” Cassandra said excitedly as she ran over to a chest of weapons in the corner of the fenced-off court. She threw open the lid and grabbed a bow and arrow. Grinning, she shot Helen.
    Helen heard Ariadne scream something behind her, and someone running at demigod speed to overtake the arrow, but it was too late. The arrow struck her and bounced off her chest, making a faint twanging sound as it did so. Too late to change course, Jason plowed into her from behind and knocked her to the ground. They rolled over together until he was propped up on his elbows above her, staring at her chest with disbelief.
    “I saw that arrow strike you,” he said vehemently as if he were swearing in front of a grand jury.
    “It did,” said Cassandra from the other end of the tennis court, beaming with pleasure.
    “I think Cassie’s finally lost it,” Hector whispered sadly, but without surprise, to Ariadne.
    “No, I haven’t lost it, Hector. I saw it,” Cassandra said, still smiling from ear to ear. “Helen can’t be hurt by any weapon. Try it yourself.” She pulled a sword out of the box, offering it to him.
    “Cass, just put the sword down,” Ariadne said with a hand raised in an appeasing gesture. “We can talk about this.”
    “I’m not crazy!” Cassandra screamed, suddenly livid.
    “She isn’t crazy,” Helen said with conviction. She untangled herself from Jason and stood. “Go ahead, Cass. Shoot me.”
    Cassandra locked another arrow in her bow and shot Helen—in the head this time. Ariadne screamed again, but the scream trailed off lamely when they all saw the arrow bounce right off. Everyone was silent for a moment.
    “No frigging way!” Hector shouted, a touch of envy making him sound almost angry.
    “Did that hurt?”