?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
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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