“Do you have to do that?” asked Nora. “Someone spent a lot of time making that.”
“Spoil sport,” Dirk muttered.
Nora walked past him, rolling her eyes. They were on a sidewalk, walking down a nondescript suburban street. All the houses sat in perfect rows, nearly identical to each other except for their different Halloween decorations. “So where are we?”
“Someplace in Virginia, I think,” said Dirk. “It seems to be the default place muses end up when they leave Helicon. I don’t know why. If you aren’t thinking of anyplace in particular, you usually end up on this street.”
“Weird,” said Nora. She looked around again. “This place is awful. Everything’s so ordered and structured. Look how straight the street is. I like Helicon better. Everything’s chaotic there, but it all has meaning. This street has no soul.”
Dirk caught up to her. “I kind of like it better. If I weren’t a muse, I’d come live in the mundane world.”
“Really? Why?”
A group of children dressed like Jedi knights, complete with glowing plastic lightsabers, walked past them, chattering about candy.
“In Helicon, everything’s so trivial,” said Dirk. “There’s no danger. There’s no survival. It’s just constant fun and games. I don’t think real life is really like that. I don’t think fun can mean anything if you don’t have something to balance it.”
“There’s no fun in the mundane world,” said Nora. “It’s miserable all the time. You can’t do what you’re meant to do. You have to follow all their rules.”
“Lots of humans don’t follow the rules,” said Dirk, with a dismissive shrug. “I just think I’d fit better. If the Influence wouldn’t come and zap me, I’d never leave here.”
Fit in. Nora turned to Dirk, looking at him sympathetically. He didn’t feel like he fit in, and she knew exactly what that was like. “You know, before I came to Helicon, I never felt like I fit in to the mundane world. I knew I was different, and I hated it. But you’re a muse. Why don’t you feel like you belong in Helicon?”
Dirk didn’t answer for a minute. “I guess it’s mostly because my parents aren’t creative, you know? Even if I’m like the other muses, I’m not like my parents. And because my parents are different, I’m not like the rest of the muses. So, no matter what I do, I’m different. If I hadn’t been a muse, my parents could have come back to the mundane world, and we could have been like everybody else. But that isn’t what happened.”
Nora felt guilty. “I bet you wish that what was happening to me was happening to you, huh?”
Dirk raised his eyebrows. “I actually hadn’t thought of it. But yeah, that would be great.” He looked at her. “Why do you think it’s happening, anyway? Because if it really is about portals, then maybe if I went through one too, I could duplicate it. Of course, I don’t know if I really want to lose my creativity completely. I do like making things.”
Mentioning the portals made Nora remember why they were here in the first place. “So, I know you dig it here and all, but I’m not a huge fan, so can I go back to Helicon now to see if it worked?”
“If you want.”
“How do I do it? The same as before?”
“Just focus on the place where we left,” said Dirk.
Nora pictured the woods outside the tweens and rebels enclave in her head. Suddenly, she heard strains of music coming from a nearby house. She turned her head in the direction of it. “Do you hear that? I recognize that song. Someone was playing it in the tweens and rebels enclave the other day.”
“Maybe,” said Dirk. “So?”
“So,” said Nora, “why would we be hearing that song in the mundane world? It’s a Helicon original song.”
“Maybe it went out on an inspiration thread,” said Dirk. “Or maybe there are other muses here. It is Halloween, and the tweens like to come to the mundane world on Halloween. Plus, this is the default spot, so if they came through, they’d most likely end up here.”
The music was getting louder as they walked. It seemed to be coming from a house on the corner of the street. The yard of the house was full of dressed-up young people, talking and smoking cigarettes. As Dirk and Nora passed it, the door of the house swung open. Light spilled out, and Nora caught a glimpse of Jack and Agler inside, both playing guitars. They were surrounded by a gaggle of human girls. Agler looked up and saw Nora. He stopped playing, put the guitar down, and ran out of the house to meet her on the sidewalk.
“Nora, what are you doing here?”
“Oh, we’re speaking now,” said Nora. “I’m here with Dirk.”
Agler glanced at Dirk. “Like with with?”
“What do you care?” said Nora. “You made it pretty clear that you were not interested in being around me the last time we talked.”
Dirk shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m going to leave you two alone to work this out.”
“Wait,” said Nora. “I’m not abandoning you. We came here together.”
“You were getting ready to go back to Helicon anyway,” said Dirk. He shrugged at them. “Have fun, you two. Just remember that you can’t halt your aging in the mundane world, so don’t have too much fun without a condom.” He slouched off, and Nora was too horrified by the last thing he’d said to stop him.
Agler glared after him. “Would you grow up, Dirk?” He turned to her. “Are you seriously like on a date with Dirk Night? Am I interrupting something?”
Nora was blushing. “No. I mean, I don’t think so. I don’t, you know, think of Dirk in that way.”
Dirk was flipping Agler the bird without turning around.
Agler rolled his eyes. “So why are you here with him?”
“He had an idea to fix me,” said Nora.
“Fix you?”
Oh, right. Agler didn’t know that she couldn’t create. He hadn’t spoken to her since that time he’d told her it was better if they didn’t see each other. “My muse powers are completely gone. I have no inspiration. I have no ability. I can’t even draw a straight line. And I don’t know what’s—”
“Oh my God,” said a girl coming out of the house, cutting Nora off. “You are such a good guitar player.”
A chorus of agreement echoed around them. Nora realized they were surrounded by girls, all in costumes that revealed a lot of skin. They were gazing at Agler adoringly.
“I’ve never heard anything so amazing,” said another of the girls.
Nora remembered the time she’d shown the picture she drew to the girls in middle school. The Influence was apparently weak on Halloween, so Agler wasn’t in danger, but she guessed that muses still had the effect of stunning mortals when they created in the mundane world.
Agler eyed the throng of adulators. He gave Nora an embarrassed grin. “Um, let’s go for a walk away from here.”
“You’re leaving?” said one of the girls, sounding heartbroken.
“Uh, sorry,” said Agler, looking around at the girls. He pointed inside at Jack, who was still playing guitar. “He’s still here, though.”
The girls all turned to Jack, sighing.
Agler took advantage of the moment to take Nora by the arm and lead her away from the party. They ducked into an alley, out of sight of the house they’d come from.
“Jack’s gay, isn’t he?” said Nora.
Agler smirked. “Yeah, he’s never going to forgive me for that.”
Nora put her hands on her hips. “So this is why you come to the mundane world? So you can be a rock star?”
Agler studied his shoes. “Well, I mean it’s not a terrible experience, you know? Being adored?”
“Well, don’t let me get in the way of your groupies,” said Nora, starting back for the street.
“Hey, wait,” said Agler. “I want to talk to you.”
Nora stopped. “Why? I thought you wanted to stay away from me.”
Agler made a face. “Yeah, about that. It’s the weirdest thing, actually. I don’t know why I thought that. I started feeling li
ke that right after I went to apologize to Owen for punching him. But then, when I saw you a few minutes ago, I couldn’t imagine why I would feel that way. Of course I want to be around you.”
Nora’s eyes narrowed. “You talked to Owen, and then you felt differently about me?”
Agler nodded. “Yeah.”
Nora swallowed. “He did something to you. Just like he’s doing something to Maddie. I know he is.”
“Okay, that’s completely creepy,” said Agler. “He can do that? How?”
“I didn’t think he could,” said Nora. “Not in Helicon. At least he couldn’t do it to me, so I thought he couldn’t do it to anyone else. Apparently, he’s figured out a way.”
“We have to go to Phoebe, then,” said Agler. “He can’t be running around Helicon controlling people’s minds.”
This was definitely serious. Owen could be doing all kinds of messed up things. “Okay. We should go back now, then.”
“Hold on,” said Agler. He grabbed Nora’s hand. “Let’s not rush off yet.” Agler’s hand was warm and strong. He gripped her fingers, and Nora was struck suddenly by the intimacy of it. She realized how close they were standing to each other. There were only inches between their bodies. She looked up at Agler’s face. He was gazing down at her. “Look, whatever’s going with your muse abilities, we’ll figure that out. I promise that. And whatever Owen’s doing, we’ll stop him. But just wait a minute.” His other hand came up beside her face, and he brushed a strand of her hair away from her cheek. Nora’s breath caught at his touch. “There’s something I want to do.”
His lips came down on hers slowly and sweetly, and Nora’s limbs suddenly felt like jello. She grabbed onto him, hooking her hands behind his neck, more because she felt like she needed to hold onto something than because she was trying to hug him. But Agler seemed to take it differently, and his hand smoothly detached from her hand and curved around her waist. He tugged her closer, so that she was pressed up against his body, and he nudged his tongue into her mouth, sending shivery shocks all through her. Nora clung to him, holding on for dear life.
It seemed like he kissed her for a long time.
When he stopped, she pulled away from him, still feeling a little shaky. Her heart was banging against her rib cage.
She’d kissed Owen before, tons of times, but there was something different about this kiss. She felt more terrified, more exhilarated. She felt more alive.
Agler laughed nervously, looking away from her. “I just did that, didn’t I?”
“Um, yeah, you did.” Nora grinned.
“And it was okay? You’re not slapping me, so that’s something.”
“It was wonderful.” For some reason, Nora wasn’t looking at him either.
“Yeah?” Agler’s arm came around her shoulders. He pulled her tight against him. “All right, then. Let’s go fix you and get Owen in trouble.”
She looked up at him. “Well, I mean, we don’t have to do it right this very second, I guess. Really.”
Agler nodded. “Good point.” And he was kissing her again.
* * *
Nora and Agler emerged back into Helicon sometime later. Agler had this sort of stubble thing going on, which looked really sexy, but had kind of given Nora’s face rug burn. She rubbed her chin gently, wondering if it was red. She felt giddy, returning home after making out with Agler. She liked the way he smelled. It was a sort of woodsy, earthy smell, so different from Owen, who always smelled like soap. She liked the way he touched her, because he had big hands, but his fingertips were always so hesitant, like he thought she was fragile or precious, and it made her feel so special and adored to be in his arms. And she liked holding hands with him, which they were doing right at that moment, their fingers entwined as the woods outside the tweens and rebels enclave shimmered and solidified in front of them.
As soon as they were completely back, and they could feel the ground under their feet, they took off into the woods, heading back for their enclave.
“Should we go to Phoebe tonight?” Agler asked. “Or do you think she’s probably out of it from celebrating?”
“I don’t know,” said Nora. “I think first I want to see if Dirk’s theory was right. I want to try to do something creative.”
“I thought you were doing some pretty creative things with your lips back there.”
Nora elbowed him.
“What? Was that crass? Should I not say things like that?”
“Well, maybe not so loud,” said Nora.
“Right, because all of the trees will hear me,” said Agler. He stopped walking, and because Nora’s hand was attached to his, she had to stop walking too. He threw his head back and yelled, “I kissed Nora Sparrow!”
“Agler!” Nora snatched her hand away from him. But she was grinning.
“I’m going to do it again,” said Agler, cupping her face with his hands and pressing his lips against hers.
She giggled into his mouth, running her fingers over his dreadlocks. And then the giggling stopped, and she was engulfed by him. His lips, his tongue, his hands. She felt breezy and happy.
So it was all the more jarring when Agler was ripped away from her. She heard him cry out in surprise, and her eyes snapped open just in time to see Owen slamming Agler’s body up against a tree trunk.
“Owen, stop,” said Nora.
Owen turned burning eyes on her for a second. “Shut up,” he growled. Then his attention went back to Agler. He was staring into Agler’s eyes and muttering something under his breath. Nora couldn’t make out the words.
Abruptly, Owen let Agler go.
Agler staggered away from the tree. His gaze swept over Owen and Nora, but his expression was blank. He shook himself and then started walking away.
“Agler?” said Nora.
“Good night, Nora,” said Agler in a wooden voice. He kept walking.
Nora turned on Owen. “What did you do to him?”
Owen slapped her. “How dare you let him kiss you, you little slut?”
She stumbled away from him, her hand on her cheek. It stung. He’d hit her? Owen had never... Tears in her eyes, she gaped at him. “What happened to you?”
Owen glowered, smiling. “Nothing happened, Nora. I’ve always been this way. You’re the one who’s different. You’re the one who’s spreading yourself all over Helicon.”
“I’m...?” Nora advanced on him. “You screwed a fucking fairy while we were dating. I kissed a boy six months after we broke up.”
“Careful, Nora, you might make me even angrier than I already am,” said Owen. He grasped her by the shoulders, and leaned close, whispering to her. “You’re mine, do you understand that? Mine. And if anything or anyone is in the way of me and you, I will make sure they get out of the way, however I have to do it. I don’t care who gets hurt.”
Nora recoiled from him, disgusted and terrified. “What did you do to Agler?”
“He was in the way,” said Owen. He released her.
She wasn’t ready for it, and she lost her balance, sprawling on her backside.
“Come back to me, Nora,” said Owen. “And everything will be okay again.”
She shook her head.
Owen shrugged. “You’ll change your mind. You’ll have to.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Nora was terrified. If Owen could control the minds of Agler and Maddie, maybe he could control everyone’s mind. Maybe even Phoebe’s or Coeus’. And the threat he’d made to her could extend further. He said that if anyone got in the way, he’d do whatever he could to get them out of the way, even if he hurt them. She couldn’t involve anyone else—not anyone. No, it was better if she got away from everyone. That way, no one could get hurt. Maybe, if she disappeared for a while, Owen would calm down or give up or... she didn’t know. But she didn’t want to endanger the muses either.
At first, she considered going back to the mundane world. She could hide there, and as long as she didn’t create anything, she’d be safe
from the Influence. But she knew that Owen had been able to control her in the mundane world, and she didn’t want to run the risk of his finding her there and doing it again. So instead, under the cover of darkness, she took her tent down. She was going to move it away from the tweens and rebels enclave, where no one could find her. She dismantled her hammock and picked up all the rugs and blankets she had on the ground, folding them into a big pile. As she did so, she yanked them away from the corner where Catling was always meowing and quacking, and she noticed a pile of little red circles underneath.
Nora gasped. Those were the circles that appeared when the Influence came through the portals. She remembered picking one up right after they’d arrived in Helicon, and how weak it had made her. Why were they here? Was this what Catling had been making so much noise about?
Catling waddled over to her and squawked at the red circles.
It must be. How had they gotten here?
Using one of her blankets, Nora gathered up the circles. She wasn’t sure what to do with them, but she knew she wanted them away from her. They couldn’t be a good thing.
But she needed to move the tent. She wanted to be away from Owen. So she packed everything up, and, with Catling following her, set off into the woods. When she’d traveled a good distance, she simply dumped the gathered-up red cylinders and went on.
She found another spot, deep in the woods, far from everyone, where it would be hard to find her. She put her tent back up, reassembled her hammock. She was exhausted and fell into her hammock, held Catling close, and fell into an uneasy sleep.
Days and weeks passed. Nora didn’t leave her tent except in the dead of night, when she carefully would sneak to the food enclave to get things to eat. If she saw anyone, she hid herself until they were gone. She’d been worried that the muses might be looking for her, but it didn’t seem to be the case. At any rate, they hadn’t found her.
Her creativity was returning. Dirk must have been right. She’d felt exhilarated and inspired when she’d come back with Agler, and now she was able to draw again. But it hardly mattered, because she felt so much despair. She was frightened of Owen and everything seemed hopeless.
The Helicon Muses Omnibus: Books 1-4 Page 27