Goddess of Troy

VIII

Marcus

Helena knew exactly why people were staring at her at school that day. It was because of Lucian and the Malum Clan. Thankfully, Cassia had caught her up with what had happened.

"What will you do about their threat?" Cassia questioned, "You know, should we stand our ground and fight?"

Helena stayed up all night and debated about what she would and should do. "I'm going to go with them." She replied back confidently, her answer final.

"No, you're not." Cato's voice spoke up against hers. "You," he pointed at her with his piece of toast, "are not going anywhere but here."

Taken aback, Helena scoffed, "And what?" She flung her hands out in an appalled kind of way, "Watch the school burn down in flames? Let them walk all over us? Since when did you become my Father?"

"I said no. So no." Cato hadn't even bothered to make eye contact with Helena as he was dead set on his decision.

"Well, you can't stop me so I can do whatever I please." She tore off a good half a toast with her teeth.

"We'll see about that," Cato stood up from his seat.

"Well, yeah?" Helena followed him up and tried to think of a better comeback, "We will."

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Helena was surprised to have knife throwing classes with both Cato and Lucius. The two of them got along shockingly well together and because she was in the stall beside the two, she could hear their exciting conversations.

Lucius started off, "I'm guessing my Father came for a short little visit this morning."

Helena could recognise Cato's honey chuckle anywhere, "Yeah, that old scumbag came for Helena."

"Ah...the pretty one I saw yesterday morning?" Helena felt slightly flattered.

Bringing herself back to the task at hand, Helena grabbed a pocket knife from the knife display placed on the wall and stood in offence position, ready to throw the knife.

She brought her right arm back and stepped forward at the same time and flung the knife towards the target in a tiny, swift flicking movement of her wrist.

The knife spun perfectly into the head of the cardboard victim, right in the centre.

Next door she heard, "Oh damn, whoever is in there is pretty skilled. Ever seen anyone our year throw like that, man?" Lucius sounded like he was off the hook excited.

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"Boxing like this!" Coach Laura Dean stood in an exceedingly loose stance and jumped slightly, "-is going to get you killed." She then changed her offensive stance with her guard up and bounced lightly on the balls of her feet, "This, is at least the start of all of you not dying."

Coach Dean had gone through all the procedures and drills for her class, "Okay class," she signalled towards the gym wall, "partners on that list over there otherwise, put your gloves on, put your mouth guard on if you're that much of a wuss and get to work!"

Helena picked up her feet to a fast pace and reached the other side of the gym in mere seconds but Lucius had already beat her to checking the list, "Hey buddy, care for a pair of gloves?" He held out a pair of pink boxing gloves.

Helena narrowed her eyes, "I don't like the colour pink."

"Oh well, thats too bad. I don't like that colour either." Lucius beamed mock pity through his amber eyes and shrugged, "guess you'll just have to deal with it. Partner."

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Cassia brought a boy along with her, her hand intertwined with his, to their table, "Everyone, this is Marcus." She looked up at him nervously, "We've been dating for six months now."

Cato had been drinking a bottled water and had almost choked half to death after Cassia's rather unexpected introduction, "H-hey," he desperately tried to wipe his shirt down and stood up to shake Marcus's hand, "Cato, Cassia's brother." He had tried to seem a little more intimidating but failed to cover up his mishap beforehand.

There had been a sudden tension between the group as Cassia and Marcus sat down.

Helena cleared her throat to catch their wandering attention, "So, tomorrow the Malum Clan comes back and-" She had been cut off by Cato, "I thought we already talked about this, no is no. You're not going with them."

"You're not one to make that decision for me, this is my choice and you should respect that. I'm going whether you like it or not."

"Helena," Cato's voice was dangerously cautious, "I do have respect for you, I swear it but you don't get to make this decision."

"I do!" Helena raised her voice, "They want me and not you so, therefore, it is my decision. It's either me or the whole Colosseum burnt down to the ground!"

Cato's hands slammed down forcefully onto the table, "Damn it, Helena! What part of: 'No! No, you cannot go!' don't you understand?!"

Unnoticed, Helena had stood up too, "I don't get why you won't let me go and save the institute! It's just me! One person for how much?" Helena gestured around the dining hall, who watched the two of them argue. "-two thousand students at least, not including the staff! It'll all be worth it!"

Cato's angered expression dropped and his eyes followed his expression down to the floor, "It won't be."

Helena couldn't decipher what he had muttered, "Cato.."

"I said, It won't be worth it." He couldn't meet Helena's eyes.

"Cato!" She had been appalled by his choice of words. "Don't-"

"I just don't want to lose another woman I care for, okay?! I really, really care for you!" His voice faltered and dropped in volume, "I just don't want to lose you.."

Speechless, Helena struggled to catch Cato by his arm but he had already fled out the dining room.

"Give him some space," Cassia rested a comforting hand on her arm, "he's still torn up about Mom."

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Hi friends! I can't begin to apologise for the million year update but bear with me we are almost halfway through the book!

-A