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“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 coins, and only these coins, were stolen. As far as we know, they have no magic that’s particular to any one of the Four Houses.”
“I’ll ask the family,” Helen said, taking the piece of paper and tucking it into the back pocket of her jeans. Then she covered her mouth as a giant yawn escaped. “Excuse me, Hector. But I can barely keep my eyes open.”
“I came here feeling all sorry for myself, but you know what? Now that I’m here, I’m more worried about you. You look pretty beat-up.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m a total disaster.” Helen laughed ruefully as she tried to smooth her hair and straighten her clothes. “The Underworld is, well, it’s exactly as bad as you’d think. But at least I’m not alone down there anymore—that’s something.”
“Orion. He’s solid,” Hector said with a serious nod. Helen gave him a surprised look, and he continued, “I’ve never met him in person, of course. The Furies. But Daphne put the two of us in touch right after I had to leave here. We text each other occasionally, and he’s really been there for me. He’s had a rough life, and he knows what I’m going through. I feel like I can talk to him.”
“Orion is really easy to talk to,” Helen agreed thoughtfully. She wondered if Hector knew more about Orion’s childhood than she did. The thought bothered her. She wanted to be the one to listen to Orion’s secrets, and she had no idea what that meant.
“And he’s reliable. He helped me find Daphne when she was lost at sea. He’s a powerful Scion, Helen. But I think he’s an even better friend.”
“Wow. You’re gushing,” Helen said, flustered by all the high praise coming from Hector, of all people. “What’s going on? Have you got a little man-crush on Orion?”
“Whatever.” Hector brushed off Helen’s teasing. “Look, I’m just saying I like him. That’s it.”
“Well, so do I,” Helen said softly, not certain what else Hector wanted her to say.
“And I don’t see a reason why you wouldn’t. In fact, I don’t see a reason why you wouldn’t do more than just like him. And that’s fine,” Hector said. “But he’s Heir to both Athens and Rome, and you are the Heir to the House of Atreus. You know what that means?”
“The two of us together unite three of the four Houses,” Helen said, frowning.
She had secretly hoped it was jealousy that had turned Lucas against Orion, but now that she considered it, she wasn’t so sure. Maybe he didn’t care if Helen was with another guy or not. Maybe all he cared about was keeping the Houses separate.
“Not that the two of you couldn’t get cozy for a while,” Hector said quickly, misinterpreting Helen’s pained look. “But you couldn’t really . . .”
“Really what, exactly?” Helen looked at Hector sharply and crossed her arms. “No, go on. I’m dying to hear what the Scion rule book says I can and can’t do with Orion.”
“You can have fun—you can have a lot of fun if you want. Not for nothing, but I hear that Scions from the House of Rome are particularly good at that. But don’t get too close to him emotionally, Helen,” he said seriously. “No children, no long-term commitment, and for gods’ sake don’t fall in love with him. The Houses must stay separate.”
It was almost too weird to talk about this with Hector, but at the same time it wasn’t. Helen knew he wasn’t judging her or giving her an empty lecture; he only wanted what was best for everyone.
“We’re just friends,” Helen replied with a certainly she didn’t entirely feel. “Neither of us wants anything else.”
