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“Why?” Lucas asked.
Orion’s lips twisted into a bitter scowl, like there was a vile taste in his mouth. He shook his head, like he was shaking off Lucas’s question.
“Why?” Lucas repeated, undeterred.
“He’s a monster.” Orion looked away, his volume dropping. “He only goes for little girls.”
Cassandra looked away and frowned, the light inside her chest dimming. “I’m not a little girl,” she said quietly, but no one responded.
“Are you sure about that?” Hector asked Orion seriously.
Orion nodded. “My father’s little sister.” He didn’t elaborate. “Trust me, Cassandra’s his type
. Some family I got, huh?”
“They’re not your family,” Lucas said sharply. He tipped his chin at Helen and Hector and Cassandra, including everyone before looking back at Orion levelly. “We’re your family. You stand with us.”
“We are blood brothers,” Helen said, reminding him.
“If it makes you feel any better, I’ll be watching for a knife in the back, too,” Hector said, his face falling. “Tantalus will be there. Who knows what he’ll do when he sees me?” He looked over at Lucas, and the two of them shared a sad smile. “Some family we got, huh?”
“I think the five of us have to stand together no matter what,” Helen said before Hector could get any more upset. She bit her lip, finding a snag. “Except Cassandra is supposed to be neutral, right? She’s the Oracle and she outranks us all, so she’ll be the only one seated.”
“Right,” Hector said with a quick nod. “When the Houses meet, she is considered above all bloodlines and sits alone.”
Helen looked over at Cassandra, so tiny in that big chair. She was always alone.
“Are you guys okay with this?” Helen asked sheepishly.
“It’s never worked like that before,” Hector said slowly. A moment later he looked around smiling, his decision made. “If we stand together it’ll be like we’re our own House—the Scion Heirs or something. I’m willing to do it, but I think our parents will be pissed.”
“So what?” Lucas said, his eyes gleaming dangerously. “We’re not doing things the way they did them. I say we stand together.”
“I agree,” Orion said with a definite nod. “But only if Helen’s our leader.”
Helen burst our laughing. “Are you serious?” She looked around, and saw that everyone was nodding in agreement. “Wait. Back up. I can’t be the leader.”
“Yes you can,” Hector said, nodding his head. “In fact, you have to be the leader.”
“So when did all of you start eating bowls of crazy for breakfast?” Helen asked, her patience growing thin. She didn’t even like to win track races—she sure as hell didn’t want to be the leader of the Scion Heirs. “I’m the worst choice. Hector . . .”
“Hector can’t be the leader, Helen. He’s not an Heir,” Cassandra said, her voice low. “And Orion has too many enemies trying to depose him already. Worse than that—too many people think he’s the Tyrant. He would be challenged the moment he stepped forward as the leader of the Heirs.”
“Lucas, then,” Helen said, a hint of desperation entering her tone. “He’s the smartest. He should lead us.”
“Lucas is the brother of the Oracle,” Cassandra said, shaking her head sadly. “That would give too much power to the House of Thebes. Your own mother would fight it. It has to be you.”
“No,” Helen said simply. “I don’t want to do it.”
“Tough luck, Princess.” Hector smiled at her with infuriating smugness. “Come on. You always knew it had to be you.”
“But I’m clueless!” she said, bolting up out of her seat anxiously. “And the worst fighter. What if someone from another House challenges me to a duel or whatever? I’d totally lose.” Helen started pacing around, running her hands through her hair.
“If you’re our leader, you’d never fight,” Lucas said, liking this new development more and more. “Leaders choose champions to fight for them when they get challenged—usually the best fighter. It’s a bad idea for our best fighter to be the leader.”
“Okay, we all agree. Helen’s the boss,” Orion said.
“We did not agree—” Helen interrupted, but Orion kept talking over her.
