then had Lucas hold the bottom for her while she climbed. As she
did so she told her father and uncle to look at Helen?s necklace and
describe what they saw.
?It looks like . . . That?s impossible,? Pallas said, his eyes hardening
with anger as he took an involuntary step back.
?What do you see?? Castor cautiously asked his brother.
?I gave that to Aileen,? Pallas said, pointing to Helen?s necklace
like he was accusing Helen of stealing it.
?Cass?? Lucas called up to his sister, worried.
?Her necklace looks like whatever would attract the person who
looks at it. That ability is only related to one goddess and one relic,?
Cassandra called down, still searching for something. ?Aphrodite?s
cestus.?
?That can?t be,? Pallas said, shaking his head. ?We might as well
say she has the aegis of Zeus. Or the Loch Ness monster, for that
matter. It?s folklore, it doesn?t exist.?
?What?s a cestus?? Helen asked quietly, in case it was such a stupid
question everyone needed to be able to pretend like they didn?t
hear her.
?The cestus is Aphrodite?s girdle,? Lucas responded automatically,
his eyes darting from Cassandra to Castor before they landed
back on Helen. ?It?s a mythical object that makes the wearer impervious
to any weapon.?
?And impossible to resist,? Castor added. He cast a worried look
at his son.
?And I?m supposed to have this thing on me? Well, I hate to
break it to you, but I?m fresh out of mythical girdles,? Helen said
with a sarcastic laugh, but no one laughed with her.
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?Let me see that necklace your mother gave you,? Cassandra