“What are you doing here?” asked Agler. “You’re supposed to be watching Owen.”
“He’s going into the woods,” said Sawyer, “with four other tweens that are in the muse police. I think we all have to see this.”
“You think he’s going to open a portal?” Nora said, getting to her feet.
“I don’t know,” said Sawyer, “but whatever it is, it’s a secret, and he’s hiding it, so we have to go now.”
The four of them scrambled out of the tree house and followed Sawyer into the woods. As they got deeper into the trees, Sawyer motioned for them to be quiet, so they walked more slowly and carefully.
In the distance, they heard voices, and as they approached, the voices got clearer.
“What are we doing out here, Owen?” said one. Between the trees, the owner of the voice became clear. It was a boy with a red handkerchief tied around his forehead.
The four spies crouched behind tree trunks, watching and listening.
Owen was standing with his back to Nora and her friends. Four other tweens sat on the ground in front of him. One had the red handkerchief, one had curly black hair, one had blond hair, and the final boy wore a tie-dyed t-shirt.
“I thought it would be better to talk here,” said Owen, “away from the rest of Helicon.”
“Talk about what?” said Curly Black Hair.
“Talk about the way things are here,” said Owen, “and why they should change.”
That didn’t sound good. Nora clutched the tree trunk she crouched behind for balance. Was he going to involve all of these guys in opening a portal?
“I’ve heard the things you guys say,” said Owen. “That’s why I invited you here.”
“What things?” said the blond.
“He means the other night,” said Red Handkerchief, “when we were talking about how the muses are lazy.”
“Exactly,” said Owen.
“So what?” said Tie-Dye. “All the police say stuff like that. Even Alexander gets pissed from time to time. He bitches about how no one pulls their weight. He used to lecture his kid Dirk about it before Dirk went to the tweens and rebels enclave. Probably the only reason Dirk’s in the engineering enclave, which is the least selfish bunch of the lot.”
“Alexander isn’t open to my ideas,” said Owen. “I’ve tried to talk to him about it. But I get the impression that you guys might be.”
“We were just blowing off steam,” said Black Curly Hair. “Sometimes it feels like we don’t matter around here. Everyone’s so busy singing and dancing that they don’t even notice who’s keeping them safe.”
“That’s my point,” said Owen. “The muses are vulnerable, but they act as if they aren’t. If it weren’t for us, they’d never be able to close up those portals that keep opening. And even though they created a committee to find the person who’s opening them, they aren’t any closer to knowing who the perpetrator is months later.”
Was Owen going to reveal that he was the one doing it? Had he been laughing behind everyone’s backs for all this time?
“Well, they’ve got that tracker, though,” said the blond. “We stopped that portal from doing any damage.”
“A stopgap measure,” said Owen. “When a community is in danger, the leaders of the community need to be able to save the community. And our leaders in Helicon can’t do that, because they’re focused on the wrong things. They’re so caught up in playing games and having parties that they can’t see that there are problems. I think that the muse police should be in charge, not the council. The council is weak and stupid.”
“Alexander would never go for that,” said Tie-Dye.
“That’s why I’m not talking to Alexander,” said Owen. “I’m talking to you. The five of us. We should be the leaders of Helicon.”
What? Nora let go of the tree trunk to cover her open mouth. She lost her balance and stepped backwards, breaking a branch with a loud crack.
Owen turned around. “Someone followed us. Which one of you said something?”
The four muse police tweens all shook their heads, muttering negative noises.
Owen started back into the woods.
This wasn’t good. Nora looked around at her friends, mouthing, “Sorry.” What should they do? Should they try to stay hidden? Back off? Get up and run? Maybe if she took the fall, she could distract Owen so that the others could get away. “I’m going to talk to him,” she whispered. “You guys go back to the enclave.”
Sawyer and Maddie began to back up.
“Be careful,” said Sawyer, as the two eased into the woods in the direction of the tweens and rebels enclave.
“Nora, no,” Agler whispered.
But Nora had already stood up. “Hi Owen. I followed you out here because I thought you were meeting that fairy again, and I wanted to give her a piece of my mind.” Would Owen buy that? It didn’t make any sense. She hadn’t spoken to Owen in months. He couldn’t think she was still jealous, could he?
“Nora?” Owen’s expression softened. “No, I wasn’t doing anything like that.”
He’d bought it! “Yeah, I heard what you were saying,” she said. “You can’t seriously think you could be the leader of Helicon.”
He folded his arms over his chest. “We may not be together anymore, but that doesn’t mean I want you to get hurt. And as long as those portals are still being opened, this whole place is in danger. I want to keep you and all of the muses safe. I think I’d do a better job than the council.”
“Please, Owen. You’re opening those portals yourself,” said Nora.
Owen’s jaw dropped. “You can’t think that. I would never do that. I love Helicon. This place is my home. Of all people, I thought you would understand that.”
“There are a lot of things I thought I understood about you, Owen, but they didn’t turn out to be true,” said Nora. “And it makes sense in a twisted way, doesn’t it? You put Helicon in danger precisely so you can ‘save’ it. But no one here will ever let you lead this place. You’re an outsider. No one trusts you.”
Owen looked agonized. “You used to trust me. You were the only one.”
“And you betrayed me.” Maybe this was a bad idea. Nora was beginning to feel very emotional. She fought tears.
“I know,” said Owen. “I was weak and stupid, and I hurt you.” He looked away. “I wish there was some way you could forgive me. I don’t know who I am without you, Nora. Maybe I only started all this taking over Helicon business because I needed something. And without you, I have nothing.” He reached for her.
And Agler darted out from between the trees, pushing Owen away. “Don’t touch her.”
What was Agler still doing here? Hadn’t Nora told him to go back to the tweens and rebels enclave?
Owen went sprawling on his backside. His expression turned venomous as he got to his feet, brushing dead leaves off himself. “What’s he doing here, Nora?”
“I...” Nora didn’t know what to say.
“I told you to stay away from her a long time ago, didn’t I, Agler?” said Owen. “But you didn’t listen, because you’ve got the brain capacity of a flea.”
Agler clenched his jaw. “All you’ve ever wanted to do was hurt Nora.”
“Hurt her?” Owen laughed. “I love her. I love her in a way someone like you could never understand.”
“Well, she doesn’t love you. And she doesn’t want you to touch her.”
“She’s confused,” said Owen. “But she won’t be forever.” He glowered at Nora under dark eyebrows. “I’m the only one for you, Nora, and you’ll realize that eventually.”
Nora didn’t feel like listening to that. And they couldn’t very well spy on Owen if he knew they were there, could they? “Let’s get out of here, Agler.”
“Why were you really here?” Owen said. “What were you doing in the woods? You letting him touch you? Is that what’s going on?”
Oh. Great. “Agler and I are friends,” said Nora. “And that’s all. And
we’re leaving.” She tried to catch Agler’s eye and send him a pointed look.
But Agler was glaring at Owen. “It’s none of your business anyway.”
“Just friends?” Owen spoke slowly as if he were talking to a small child. “Does Agler actually understand not to take what’s not mine now? No way. He wouldn’t be smart enough to keep his hands to himself, would he? Because he's an idiot, and a coward, and—”
Agler punched him.
Nora cringed. “Stop it.”
Owen laughed. Blood was pouring out of his nose, over his lips. He spat it at Agler. “Did I get under your skin, idiot boy? Did it feel good, letting it all out like that?” He grinned. His teeth were stained red. “Hit me again.”
Agler was cradling his fist. His face was red.
Nora grabbed him by the arm. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“Can’t you do it?” said Owen. “Too scared? Or are you trying to remember how to do it again? You’ve always been a little slow, haven’t you? Your family all took to their instruments like ducks to water, but you have to practice, don’t you? Because you’re just not very bright, Agler.”
Agler drove his fist into Owen’s face again. “Shut up.”
Nora grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling on him, but her fingertips slipped off. “Don’t. He wants you to.”
Agler slammed his other fist into Owen’s stomach.
Owen doubled over, laughing and bleeding. “You’re such a man, aren’t you? Pounding on a guy who isn’t even hitting back?”
“Agler!” Nora yelled.
He was breathing hard.
Owen straightened. “Agler Thorn. What a prince.”
Agler pressed his lips together in a thin line.
“Don’t listen to him,” said Nora. “Let’s go.” She took his arm again, tugging on him.
Agler stared at Owen for one more second. Owen was grinning. He wiped blood off his face with the back of his hand. Then Agler turned away and let Nora lead him off.
They didn’t speak. They only sound was the crunch of their feet against the leaves.
When they were in sight of the tweens and rebels enclave, Agler muttered, “I never hit anyone before.”
Nora nodded. “Yeah, I’m guessing there’s not a lot of fighting in Helicon usually.”
“Not physical fighting,” said Agler. “People argue all the time, but they don’t hit each other. I don’t know why I did it. I was so angry with him.”
“He wanted you to do it,” said Nora.
“Why would he want that?” said Agler.
She wasn’t sure.
* * *
It was noon, and the main fire pit was empty except for Phoebe. She was standing inside the circle with her arms crossed over her chest. She did not look happy. Nora had received a summons to come here, and on her way, she’d run into Agler, who’d gotten one as well. They didn’t know what it was about, and they’d been trading theories as they walked.
But it all became clear when Owen skulked out from behind one of the tents and took a seat next to Phoebe. His face was swollen, marred by a purplish bruise that extended to both his eyes. He looked terrible. Nora’s heart sank. So this was what Owen was up to.
Phoebe gestured to the bench next to Owen. “Sit down, both of you.”
Hanging her head, Nora sat down. Agler followed suit. They both stared at the ground.
Phoebe began to pace in front of them. Her voice was quiet and controlled, but Nora could tell she was angry. “We don’t usually have problems like this in Helicon,” she said. “I can count on one hand the times that there’s been any kind of violence while I’ve been head of the council. This is simply not a place where people hit each other.”
Agler closed his eyes. Nora could see him swallow.
Phoebe spread her hands. “Agler, Owen tells me that you began hitting him repeatedly, and that he didn’t retaliate. Is this true?”
Agler bobbed his head.
“Answer me,” said Phoebe.
“It’s true,” said Agler in a small voice.
This wasn’t fair. Owen had engineered this entire thing. Nora looked up. “It’s not Agler’s fault. Owen egged him on. He was calling him names and—”
“Name calling?” Phoebe repeated. “That’s why you hit him?”
Agler nodded again, looking miserable.
“It wasn’t like that,” said Nora. “Owen provoked him.”
“Oh,” said Phoebe, “I think I understand the situation perfectly. You came to Helicon dating Owen. Now, you’re with Agler, and—”
“I’m not,” said Nora. “I’m not with anyone.”
Phoebe paused for a moment. Her brow furrowed. “Aren’t you?”
Nora shook her head.
Phoebe shook herself, rolling her eyes. “Heaven spare me from tween love. The point is you’ve got boys fighting over you.”
Nora made a face. It wasn’t like that. Not exactly.
Phoebe put a finger in her face. “I’ll deal with you in a moment, Nora. Alone.”
Nora shrank into the bench. Phoebe was blaming her?
Phoebe sighed. “Owen doesn’t want to tell me the nitty gritty details either. I wouldn’t know a thing about this if his face wasn’t completely mangled, and I haven’t sent him to the healers yet because I wanted Agler to see what it was he’d done.” She pointed at Owen. “Look.”
Agler raised his head to stare at him.
“You already stole my girlfriend,” said Owen. “You don’t have to hit me too.”
“She’s not my girlfriend,” muttered Agler.
“Like hell she’s not,” said Owen.
Phoebe held up a hand to stop Owen from talking. She looked thoughtfully from Owen to Agler. “It really isn’t important. The important thing is that we don’t solve conflicts with violence. You know this, Agler Thorn.”
His shame was all over him.
“Don’t do it again,” Phoebe said. “Whatever he says to you. I don’t care what it is. If you can’t control yourself, walk away. Do you understand?”
Agler nodded.
“I don’t hear you,” said Phoebe.
“I understand,” he said.
“Good,” said Phoebe. “Owen, off to the healers with you. Nora, I want to talk to you in my tent. Agler, think about what you’ve done.”
Owen stood up. “That’s it?”
Phoebe raised her eyebrows. “Excuse me?”
“Think about what you’ve done?” Owen echoed in a disbelieving voice.
Phoebe folded her arms over her chest again. “I realize that you grew up in the mundane world where violence was commonplace, Owen. I know there it’s quite typical to punish violence with violence. But you won’t find that in Helicon. Now get yourself to the healing enclave. It makes my face hurt just looking at you.”
Owen’s jaw twitched. He took a breath as if he was about to say something, then seemed to think better of it. Turning on his heel, he stalked off.
Agler stood up, but he wouldn’t look at Nora or Phoebe. “I’m sorry.”
Phoebe patted him on the shoulder. “I meant what I said. Don’t listen to what he says.” She beckoned to Nora. “Come along, then.”
Once they were inside Phoebe’s tent, Phoebe pulled the opening shut after them. “Now,” she said, “I want you to tell me exactly what happened.”
Nora chewed on her lip. She couldn’t tell Phoebe all of it, could she? “Agler and I were in the woods, and we saw Owen. Well, he saw us, and—”
“And what were you and Agler doing in the woods, seeing as you aren’t romantically entangled?”
Nora fidgeted. “Walking?”
Phoebe fixed her with a no-nonsense glare. “You can’t have this both ways, Nora. Now either Owen stumbled on the two of you in some kind of adolescent tryst, which is what he claims, or something else is going on. I’ve given Owen the benefit of the doubt since he arrived back here in Helicon, but I must say I find it a bit odd that if there’s violence, he’s involved,
and then his story doesn’t match yours. So what happened?”
“What did Owen say Agler and I were doing?” Nora didn’t like the idea of untrue rumors being spread about her.
“Never mind that,” said Phoebe. “What were you actually doing?”
Nora felt deflated. Would it hurt to tell Phoebe? “We were spying on Owen.”
“Spying?”
“We think that he might be ripping open the portals in Helicon. We were trying to catch him in the act,” said Nora.
Phoebe looked surprised. She sat down in a chair. “What makes you think Owen might be responsible? Do you have any evidence?”
“Well, not exactly,” said Nora. She was beginning to feel a little silly about the whole thing. “I’m not sure Owen is exactly normal.”
Phoebe laughed. “No one in Helicon is normal.”
“I mean in a bad way,” said Nora. “When we were in the mundane world, he could do this thing with his eyes. He’d just get someone to look at him, and it was like he could control them after that. Make them do whatever he wanted. He did it to me.”
Phoebe drew in a breath, looking thoughtful. “Go on.”
“When we got to Helicon, it stopped working,” said Nora. “So, he started to do other things to try to get me to do what he wanted. He made me feel bad about myself all the time. He accused me of things.” Her voice sank to a whisper. “He kept trying to make me sleep with him.”
“That doesn’t sound pleasant.” Phoebe had a reassuring look in her eyes.
Nora plowed on. “And then Agler told me that when Owen was a kid here, he tortured animals and killed them or at least he did disgusting things with dead animals, and I thought that maybe Owen was a sociopath, because he doesn’t seem to care about anyone but himself, and I thought maybe he’d turn into a serial killer or something. That he’d be capable of making the portals. So, we started watching him.”
“A serial killer?” Phoebe shook her head. “You spent so much time in the mundane world. Let’s be a little rational here, shall we? To your knowledge, Owen’s never killed anyone, has he?”
“No,” said Nora.
“Or even threatened to kill someone?”
The Helicon Muses Omnibus: Books 1-4 Page 23