The Helicon Muses Omnibus: Books 1-4

by V. J. Chambers

  “Right,” said Dirk. He eyed Owen.

  “I’m fine,” said Nora. “We got in a fight. It happens. Sometimes, you get angry at the people you care about the most. Don’t make it into anything bigger than that. Please?”

  “I won’t say anything,” said Dirk. “This time.” He looked at Nora. “He shouldn’t do things like that to you.”

  “Listen to me.” Owen closed the distance between Dirk and himself in two steps. He snatched Dirk’s shirt by the collar and yanked him close. “None of this has anything to do with you.”

  Nora wedged herself between them. She pried at Owen’s hands, trying to make him let go. “Owen, you’re making it worse. He said he wouldn’t say anything.”

  Owen shook Nora off like she was an annoying bug. “You won’t say anything, will you, Dirk? Because if you do—“

  “Owen, you’re scaring me,” said Nora. Her voice had gotten high-pitched. He was scaring her, and she wasn’t sure if Dirk wasn’t right. Maybe she shouldn’t let him do things like this. Maybe he was out of control no matter what happened.

  Owen turned to her sharply. He looked into her eyes. He took several deep breaths. And then he pushed Dirk away from him. “Crap, I lost it again.”

  Dirk smoothed out his shirt, eyeing Owen warily.

  “Are you okay?” Owen asked Dirk. There were apologies written all over his face. “I’m so sorry, man. That was completely my fault. I was way out of line.”

  “You were out of line to her,” said Dirk, pointing at Nora.

  “You’re right,” said Owen. He hung his head. “I can’t believe I... I’m really sorry, Nora. Are you okay?”

  Nora nodded.

  “Look,” said Owen to Dirk, “I get... You know my dad is a god, right?”

  “So?” said Dirk.

  “So I get mad sometimes,” Owen said. “Really mad. It’s not good. I know. I’m working on it.”

  Dirk shrugged. “Maybe she buys that, but I don’t know if I do. If I ever see you touch her again—”

  “He doesn’t,” said Nora. “He never does that.”

  “Whatever,” said Dirk. He turned his back and began to walk away.

  Nora wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw Owen roll his eyes at Dirk’s back. She chewed on her lip. Owen was special, wasn’t he? Owen had it harder than other people, right? He wasn’t a bad guy. She couldn’t be in love with a bad guy. Could she?

  CHAPTER NINE

  Since Nora had decided she wouldn’t be going back to the music enclave the following day, she talked over breakfast with Sawyer and Maddie about where she might go next. She thought maybe she’d try the food enclave again, but Maddie had other ideas.

  “You can be part of the Maypole dance!” Maddie exclaimed. “Yesterday, in the dance enclave, they were talking about it. May Day is in less than two weeks, and we’re going to start practicing. But everyone was moaning all about how it’s tradition for the Maypole dancers to be virgins and how half our dancers already had children. They wanted younger dancers, and they asked me if I knew anyone. I thought you were busy, though. This will be perfect.” Then Maddie suddenly blushed. “I mean, if you aren’t a virgin, it’s not a big deal—”

  “I am,” said Nora. Although, she wouldn’t be for much longer if Owen got his way.

  Maddie got very interested in her breakfast. “That’s good. I mean, I guess.”

  “Maddie, I would tell you if that had happened,” said Nora.

  “I hope you’d tell me too,” said Sawyer. “Maddie and I both have to live vicariously through you, since you’re the only one with an actual boyfriend.”

  “Whatever,” said Maddie. “You were up half the night talking to Jack. He said you were bold.” She giggled.

  “Yeah, I don’t even know if he’s gay,” said Sawyer.

  “He sure seemed interested in you,” Maddie grinned.

  “Maybe he was just being nice,” said Sawyer. “Besides, I think he’s kind of old.”

  “I think he’s Agler’s age,” said Nora. “So, what, eighteen, maybe? And you’re sixteen, Sawyer. He’s not too old.”

  Sawyer shrugged. “He probably won’t ever talk to me again.”

  “Don’t be pessimistic,” said Maddie. “You have no idea what will happen.”

  Sawyer popped some grapes into his mouth. “I think I should be allowed to dance on the Maypole.”

  “You’re a guy,” said Maddie.

  “I’m practically a girl,” said Sawyer. “Plus, I have a really awesome design in mind for Maypole dresses. I’m wearing one anyway.”

  “I’ll ask,” said Nora. “When I get to the dance enclave, I’ll ask if you can.”

  “So you’re coming with me?” asked Maddie.

  Nora nodded. “Maypole dancing sounds fun.” She considered. “Hey, Sawyer, maybe if you promised to make the dresses for all the dancers, they’d be more likely to let you be a dancer.”

  “Yeah.” Sawyer nodded. “But how many dancers are there? I mean, how many dresses are we talking about?”

  Maddie counted on her fingers. “Probably fifteen or twenty.”

  “Ouch,” said Sawyer. “And we’ve got two weeks until May Day? I could maybe do it.” He took a deep breath. “No. I could definitely do it.”

  “You should come with us, then,” said Nora. “I bet it will be much harder to say no to your face.”

  Sawyer laughed, eating a few more grapes. “I like the way you think, Nora.”

  * * *

  Natalia Rowan’s eyes were huge. “You want him to be a Maypole dancer?”

  Nora and Sawyer were standing directly in front of her. Maddie hung behind them. She hadn’t thought the direct approach was a great idea, saying that Natalia might feel bullied. Nora and Sawyer hadn’t listened.

  “Well,” said Nora, “he’s always wanted to do it. It’s like a calling for him. And, here in Helicon, aren’t muses supposed to do the things that they’re the most drawn to? Isn’t it likely that he’ll bring an enormous amount of creative energy to the whole community?” She was drawing on the things she’d heard said last night by the older tweens.

  Natalia fidgeted. “It’s just that he’s...not female. And traditionally, Maypole dancers are always female.”

  Nora shrugged. “Maddie was saying that traditionally, they were also always virgins, and that’s something you’ve compromised on.”

  “I’m a virgin,” said Sawyer, smiling.

  “I...” Natalia floundered.

  “Plus, I’ll make all the Maypole dancer’s dresses,” said Sawyer. He held out the skirt that he was wearing so that Natalia could see it. It was gold, with intricate stitching decoratively swirling over it. “I made this.”

  “Well, that’s really gorgeous,” said Natalia, “and we hadn’t gotten anyone in the clothing and fabric enclave to really step up to make anything, but... I’m just not sure it would work.”

  A tall, lean man with long, wavy hair wandered over. He was wearing a form-fitted shirt with sleeves that belled at his elbows and tight breeches. “You look distraught, Natalia,” he said, his voice musical.

  “Everything’s fine,” said Natalia. “You don’t need to worry about it.”

  The man smiled down at Sawyer and Nora. “I don’t believe I’ve met the two of you. You tweens grow like weeds. I’m Himeros Star.” He put a splayed hand against his chest. “Head of the dance enclave.”

  Himeros had a bit of an arrogant way about him. Even the way he stood suggested he seemed to think he was better than everyone.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” said Nora.

  Himeros completely ignored her. “What’s your name?” he asked Sawyer.

  “Sawyer Snow.”

  “Are you a dancer?” Himeros looked eager.

  “Well, I want to dance on the Maypole,” said Sawyer.

  “Himeros,” said Natalia, “we’ve never had boys on the Maypole before. It’s... odd.”

  Himeros sniffed. “I don’t see what’s so odd about it
.”

  “It’s a fertility holiday,” said Natalia. “Men are not fertile.” She seemed to be getting frustrated.

  Himeros looked wounded. “Certainly, Natalia, you aren’t elevating heterosexual relationships above other relationships simply because they produce offspring? That kind of prejudice only serves to bar creativity, and I’m sure you know it.”

  Natalia’s face went red. “Well, it’s not about that at all. It’s not about being gay or not. It’s about tradition.”

  “Yes,” said Himeros, “and traditionally, I suppose all the men in a community were supposed to watch these nubile young women dancing around a Maypole, and be spurred to celebrate fertility, by getting aroused, yes?”

  Natalia heaved a sigh. “You make it sound sordid, when it’s actually quite a beautiful celebration of our relationship to the earth. It’s about spring, when the earth is awakening and fertile—”

  “Right,” said Himeros, “but we live in a place that’s summer year round. What about the homosexual men in the community? Why are they denied a young nubile thing to ogle on the Maypole?”

  Sawyer made a face.

  Nora turned to Maddie. “Is this really about us being ogled?”

  Natalia threw up her hands. “All right, fine. He can dance on the Maypole if he wants. But stop sounding like a dirty old man please.” She looked at the three of them. “No one’s getting ogled. It’s tasteful, not creepy. It’s a hallowed expression of the kinship between nature and the muses.”

  Himeros clasped his hands together, beaming. “Wonderful. I can’t wait to see you on May Day,” he said to Sawyer. He began to walk away from them.

  Sawyer turned away, looking a little green.

  Natalia cleared her throat, waiting for Himeros to get far enough away that he couldn’t hear them. “He's very old,” she said. “He says what he thinks, even if it sounds horrible.”

  Nora patted Sawyer on the shoulder. “I think you were just sexually harassed.”

  “No,” said Natalia. She bit her lip. “Well... at any rate, he’s all talk. He’s really a big softy, and he and his boyfriend have been together for nearly a hundred years. They have a wonderful relationship. They’re devoted to each other.” She cringed. “Although I think they might have started dating when Ren was sort of young.” She took both of Sawyer’s hands. “You’re okay, aren’t you?”

  Sawyer nodded. “Yeah. It’s just a little weird. I don’t think anyone’s ever been attracted to me before.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Natalia looked Sawyer over. “Well, really, from a distance, in a dress, you’ll probably look like a girl, anyway.”

  “Good,” said Sawyer.

  * * *

  Practicing for the Maypole dance was allocated only for the morning, so afterwards, Sawyer scurried back to the clothing and fabric enclave to get started on making all the dresses, and Maddie went back to ballet. Nora could have hung out in the dance enclave longer, but she wasn’t really in the mood, so instead, she went back to her tent. She thought maybe she’d take Catling to visit the other duckling-kittens at Mack’s place, especially since she hadn’t seen him in a while. She figured she could help him out with the chimeras, maybe.

  But Catling wasn’t in the tent.

  It had been so long since Catling had gotten out that Nora realized she’d gotten a little lax in securing her tent opening. Catling could have probably gotten out easily. It also wasn’t snowing, so she wasn’t quite as worried. Catling would be okay wandering around. Probably. Someone would find her eventually. Right?

  Then she remembered the edge of Helicon, staring down into its seemingly bottomless depths. Catling wouldn’t wander so far that she toppled off the edge, would she?

  Nora was worried again. She began to walk around the tweens and rebels enclave, calling for the cat-duck. She almost wished there was snow on the ground again. At least that would mean there were tracks. She looked inside all the tents, scoured the surrounding forest, and then went down into the food enclave. Maybe Catling had gotten hungry and followed the smell of food. She asked every muse she met if they’d seen her, and no one had. Nora didn’t want to think that Catling had indeed gone to the edge of Helicon and fallen off. She hoped the cat-duck was closer. Someone had to have seen her.

  And, in fact, finally, she met a muse who had. One of the food muses nodded. “Oh, yeah. I saw her. Little black and white thing? She was half-hopping, half-running, going due south along the stream.”

  Along the stream? That was good. She wasn’t going toward the edge. Well, from the way Nora understood it, Helicon was actually like a floating island, so there was an edge no matter which way Catling was going, but she wasn’t going directly to the edge. There were muses in between Catling and the edge. Maybe someone had stopped her.

  Nora thanked the muse, asked her to try to pick up Catling and hold onto her if she saw her again, and headed down the stream, still pausing to ask people along the way if they’d seen her pet. She was down the stream, past the food enclave, in an area where there was nothing but a big field. Across the stream, she could see the tents of the philosophy enclave. Had Catling come down this far? Had she crossed the bridge over the other side of Helicon?

  Suddenly, there was a loud cracking noise and the sound of screaming. Nora looked up to see the now familiar sight of a huge beam of purple light ripping up out of the center of the philosophy enclave. The beam immediately divided into strands, bolts of purple power, brushing along Helicon and withering into red circles with everything they touched. Another portal. Nora hit the ground, covering her head and waiting for it to pass.

  * * *

  Nora scratched Catling under her chin. “Thanks for bringing her back to me,” she said to Agler. They were in the tweens and rebels enclave, sitting in the tree house. The danger of the portal had passed, and now everyone was regrouping. She slouched in one of the comfy bean-bag like chairs, while Agler leaned against the back of the platform. Maddie was there too, sitting cross-legged in front of Nora. Sawyer was working on May Day dresses. He said he didn’t care how many portals ripped through Helicon, he was determined to finish sewing them all.

  “No problem,” said Agler. “Like I said, she just wandered right into the philosophy enclave right before the portal went off. I might not have noticed her, but she was meowing like crazy.”

  “So, that’s weird,” said Maddie. “Catling’s only gone missing two times, and both times were right before a portal happened.”

  “That is weird,” said Nora. She was so glad to have Catling back safe that she hadn’t realized it until now.

  “Actually,” said Agler, “I don’t think that’s how it works. You remember when Nora and Owen left a portal open, right? It took hours before the Influence came through. If there’s a hole in Helicon, it can sit open until the Influence finds it. The Influence causes the damage, not the portal itself.”

  Nora nodded. That made sense. “We’re lucky no one was hurt this time.”

  “We’re extremely lucky,” said Agler. “These things are happening way too frequently.”

  “So,” said Maddie, “maybe Catling can sense when a portal’s open, and she goes to it.”

  “Maybe,” said Nora. “That could be useful, too, because if we could find the portals before the Influence does, we could seal them up before it gets through.”

  Agler reached over to pet Catling. “She’s a portal alarm.”

  “Right,” said Nora, “but I don’t watch her enough. I need something that could track her.”

  Below them, someone was walking up the spiral stairs of the tree house. Nora could see that it was Dirk.

  “Maybe the engineering enclave could rig something up,” said Maddie. “Like a collar that will tell you where she is.”

  “You think they could?” said Nora.

  Agler nodded. “Probably.”

  “Dirk spends a lot of time in the engineering enclave,” said Maddie. “Maybe he could help.”

&n
bsp; Dirk paused at the sound of his name. He ducked his head inside the platform they were sitting on. “Help with what?”

  “Help make a tracker for my cat-duck,” said Nora. “She can sense portals.”

  “That’s stupid,” said Dirk. “No animal can do that.”

  “Maybe it’s because she’s a chimera,” said Nora. “She was created from Helicon magic. Maybe that’s why she knows when something’s wrong with it.”

  “How do you figure she can sense holes in Helicon?” asked Dirk.

  “She’s gone missing every time that we’ve had one,” said Nora. “And she always gets found right next to the portal.”

  “Coincidence,” said Dirk. He ducked out of the platform.

  “Wait,” said Maddie. “Couldn’t you help us make a tracker for her? Then we’d know for sure.”

  Dirk didn’t stop climbing. “I’m busy.”

  “He’s not a particularly pleasant person, is he?” muttered Maddie.

  Agler shrugged. “He’s like fourteen years old. It’s a tough age. He’ll grow out of it.”

  “We’re only fifteen,” Nora said, rolling her eyes.

  Agler raised his eyebrows. “You’re only fifteen?”

  Maddie and Nora both nodded.

  “I didn’t know that,” said Agler. “But I guess you were young when you left Helicon... Anyway, you’re girls. And girls are always more mature.” But he got up and started out of the platform. “I should probably go back and check on the people in the philosophy enclave. Just make sure everyone’s okay.”

  Nora and Maddie watched him go.

  “What scared him off?” said Nora.

  “He obviously likes you,” said Maddie. “But now he knows how young you are, and I think it freaked him out.”

  “He doesn’t like me,” said Nora. “Besides, he’s eighteen, right? That’s only three years.”

  Maddie shrugged. “What do you care? You’re hopelessly devoted to Owen, aren’t you?”

  Nora hugged Catling tight. “Yeah. Of course.”

  * * *

  At the council meeting that night, Phoebe announced that they’d be having a special meeting of the council to discuss the portals the following day around noon. The food enclave had consented to provide a lunch buffet, and Phoebe recommended that anyone interested in having a say about it show up then. She said that the threat was becoming more pronounced, and that the muses were going to have to work on some way to protect themselves. “This meeting,” Phoebe said, “will be focused on searching for solutions, not on blaming various people for allowing the portals to exist. I hope everyone comes with that in—”