“Well we don’t know who left that message,” said Sawyer. “I know you want decisive action, Nora, but it wouldn’t do to have the council leap to conclusions and act rashly.”
Nora sighed. “Why would it matter? Even if I’m wrong, and it isn’t Owen, he deserves whatever they’d do to him. So who cares if they’re acting rashly or not?”
“That’s just not the way we do things around here,” said Sawyer.
“Yeah,” said Maddie, “the council wants to be sure before they take any action. It’s really better this way.”
“You guys don’t even believe me,” said Nora. “No one does.”
“It’s not that we don’t believe you,” said Maddie. “It’s only that you can’t be sure. You think it was Owen, but you don’t know for sure.”
“Of course it’s Owen. I think you all want to pretend like nothing bad ever happens here.”
“Nothing bad does,” said Sawyer.
Nora shook her head. “When Owen was here a lot of bad things happened.”
“I know that,” said Maddie. “He took over my mind. But he’s gone, Nora. We’re safe.”
“You don’t know if we’re safe,” said Nora.
Sawyer rubbed his forehead. “There’s nothing we can do about it now. We have to let the council take care of it. Let’s talk about something else. We still haven’t decided what kind of sculpture we’re going to make.”
“I vote sculpture talk instead of Owen talk too,” said Maddie. She grinned.
Nora rolled her eyes. They didn’t take anything seriously. None of the muses did. There was no telling what Owen was up to, and they were all going about their business like it was no big deal. Nora couldn’t handle it. She stood up. She might as well go to her tent. There was no point in continuing this conversation.
But before she could go anywhere, someone approached them. Nora sort of recognized him. He was a tween, but he didn’t live in the tweens and rebels enclave. Instead he was a member of the security enclave. Sometimes security was referred to as the muse police. The muse police was made up of people born in Helicon who weren’t creative. They might have been born to muse parents, but they were normal humans without muse powers.
The security enclave tween looked nervous. “Hey.”
Nora and her friends exchanged a glance. It was odd for someone from the security enclave to come to the tweens and rebels enclave. There was no rule that the two enclaves couldn’t socialize, but for the most part they kept their distance.
“Hey?” said Nora.
“Uh... I wondered if I could talk to Maddie,” he said.
Maddie’s eyes widened in surprise. “Me?”
“Yeah.” The security enclave tween nodded. “My name is Daryl. I’ve noticed you around.” He ducked his head down. “You probably never noticed me, I guess.”
“Sure I have,” said Maddie, but Nora could see from her expression that she had no idea who this guy was.
Daryl raised his eyes, a look of hope on his face. “Really?”
“Um, yeah,” said Maddie.
“I, uh, was wondering if you ever wanted, which you probably don’t, I mean...” Daryl shoved his hands into his pockets, looking uncomfortable. “What I’m trying to say is maybe you and me could, you know, do something... together sometime.”
Maddie’s jaw dropped open. “Are you asking me on a date?”
Daryl stared at the ground again. “Maybe.”
“I would love to,” said Maddie. “Wow. Seriously?” Her face had lit up.
Daryl nodded. “Of course I’m serious. Maybe tomorrow?”
“Definitely,” said Maddie, grinning.
“Cool. You wanna meet me at the fire pit before the drum circle then?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
Daryl looked a little less nervous. He and Maddie stared at each other awkwardly for several seconds. Finally, he turned and made his way out of the tweens and rebels enclave. Maddie, Sawyer, and Nora watched him go. When he had disappeared from view, Maddie turned to the others. She was stunned. “Do you believe that?”
Nora gave her friend a hug. “What did I tell you? You are fabulous.”
“That was the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen,” said Maddie. “And he’s cute, don’t you think?”
Sawyer grinned. “He’s not bad looking.” He patted her on the head. “Our little Maddie is growing up.”
Maddie shoved him off. “Shut up, Sawyer.” But she was smiling. “Oh! What am I going to wear? You guys have to help me.”
Sawyer stood up. “That’s my department, I believe. Let’s go look at your wardrobe.”
“I’ll come too,” said Nora, getting up.
But at that moment, she saw Agler stepping out of his tent on the other side of the fire pit. He locked eyes with her. She turned away quickly, trying to avoid his gaze. Within minutes, however, Agler was standing next to her. “Can we talk?”
“Um, Maddie needs me to help her pick out clothes for her date,” said Nora.
“No, Sawyer can help,” Maddie said. “Go ahead, Nora.” She beamed as if she was doing Nora a favor.
She was going to have to talk to Agler, it seemed. Great. Maddie waved at her as she walked away. Nora chewed on her lip and focused on Agler.
He motioned with his head. “Let’s go to my tent.”
Once inside, Nora flopped down on a threadbare plaid easy chair that Agler had set up in the corner. She didn’t have any furniture in her own tent besides her hammock, but she hadn’t been living in the tweens and rebels enclave long enough to acquire any. There was a similar chair sitting next to the one she sat in, but Agler didn’t sit down.
For a few moments, neither of them said anything.
Finally, Agler scratched the back of his head. “You know, if I’m really a bad kisser or something, you can just tell me. You don’t have to run away from me.”
Nora didn’t look at him. “It’s not you.”
“So, you ran because you’re freaked out about that message in the snow?”
Would it be easier to say that? No, it would be easier to stop Agler from pursuing her. “I’m trying not to kiss you anymore.”
He sat down in the chair next to her. “You sure you don’t think I’m a bad kisser?”
“You’re a great kisser. I like kissing you,” she said.
“So, what’s the problem?”
“I don’t want to...lead you on.”
He nodded. “Because you’re not interested in me.” He sounded defeated.
“I’m not interested in a relationship,” said Nora. “Like I said before. But if I keep kissing you, you’ll think I am.”
“Let me get this straight,” Agler said. “You like kissing me, but you don’t want me to think you like kissing me?”
Nora sat up straight. “I don’t want to be tied down. I don’t want anyone needing to know where I am every second of the day or needing me to spend my evenings with him. I don’t want anyone to get hurt if I don’t want to hang out with him. I don’t want...a commitment. I want to be free.”
Agler nodded. “Okay, I guess I get that. I’ve felt like that too. And maybe there are other guys you want to kiss too.”
“No! I’m not kissing anyone else. I don’t want to do that.”
“Uh huh,” said Agler. He looked thoughtful.
Nora stood up. “I’m going to go.”
“Hold on,” said Agler.
She folded her arms over her chest. “I won’t kiss you again. I promise.”
“Okay,” said Agler, “but that’s kind of the exact opposite of what I want.”
Nora felt horrible. “I can’t be your girlfriend.”
“I’m not asking you to,” said Agler.
He wasn’t? Somehow, that kind of hurt. Maybe she’d really pissed him off.
“Sit down, Nora.” Agler pointed at the chair.
She hesitated for a moment and then sank into it again.
“We’re obviously attracted to each other or we w
ouldn’t keep making out heavily,” he said. He looked worried for a second. “You’re attracted to me, right?”
“Of course I am, but I can’t—”
“Never mind the ‘can’t’ business for a sec.” He rubbed his fingers against the stubble on his chin. “And neither of us are making out with anyone else. I don’t want to kiss anyone except you either. So, I mean, why couldn’t it just be that? Why couldn’t we be friends who kiss occasionally? No strings.”
Nora sat back in her chair, chewing on her lip. “Well, that’s not any different than the way things are now.”
“The difference is that you don’t have to worry about whether you’re leading me on or not. I understand the score. And this way, we can keep making out.” He grinned.
“I don’t know. I don’t know if it will really work. Won’t we get attached or something?”
“I’m already attached. But I don’t need to be around you twenty-four/seven. You can have your own life, and I won’t bug you.” He reached out a hand for her. “Come here.”
Nora hesitated for a second. But his green eyes were smiling, and his lips looked so soft. And she did like kissing him. Could it really hurt?
She stood up and put her hand in his hand. He pulled her down onto his lap, one of his hands tangling in her hair and the other skimming her hip and thigh. And then his lips were on hers, and everything was amazing. Nora slammed her eyes shut and surrendered to it.
* * *
Maddie was so focused on her date for that evening that she hardly seemed as keen on the sculpture as she had before. Instead of packing snow in the meadow with the other muses, Nora spent the day with Maddie and Sawyer, preparing for her date. Maddie was so flushed with excitement that Nora didn’t have the heart to try to talk about the message, which she was still convinced was from Owen.
However, no one had been hurt. It was letters in the snow, not an attack. Maybe the committee that the council had formed would be able to do something about it after all. Maybe Nora shouldn’t worry unless something worse happened.
If Owen really could get back into Helicon, she didn’t know if he’d waste time writing notes in the snow, anyway. He’d probably find her and kidnap her or something. Maybe.
Maybe he was playing a game with her. Toying with her. Trying to get her good and scared before he made his move. And if that was the case, by getting frightened, she was playing right into his game. She wouldn’t be worried anymore. She wouldn’t be scared. She’d try to have fun, since that was what Helicon was all about.
And the thing that Nora found the most fun was creating. So, she’d create. She let Maddie go to meet Daryl at the fire pit, and then she wandered over to the meadow to look at the snow sculptures. The sculptures were in various states of being finished, casting shadows on the white snow in the fading sunlight. Some weren’t recognizable yet, but Nora easily picked out a castle, a dancing woman, a high heeled boot, and a swan. She surveyed the sculptures, walking among them, enjoying their beauty and artistry. And when Sawyer found her there, she had an idea.
“We’ll make a dress,” she told him. “Like something you sew, only sculpted from snow. It will look like it’s floating on an invisible person.”
Sawyer liked the idea. They worked on the basics until they lost the light, and the torches they were using to see were melting the snow too much.
The next morning, they met Maddie for breakfast, determined to hear all the ins and outs of her date with Daryl.
Over toast and jam in the food enclave, Maddie told them all about it. “He’s so sweet and shy,” she gushed. “He almost never talked except to ask questions about me. He said he likes my dancing a lot.”
“What did you do?” asked Nora.
“We walked around mostly,” said Maddie. “He showed me his tent in the security enclave.” She sighed happily. “I want you guys to meet him.”
“We did meet him,” said Sawyer, “or are you forgetting that we were there when he asked you out.”
“Well, I want you to hang out with him, then,” said Maddie. “What are you guys doing today?”
“You’re planning to see him again today?” Nora winked at Maddie. “This seems serious.”
“He said to come find him after breakfast,” Maddie said. “He’s not working on anything today. Do you think that’s weird that he wants to see me again so soon?” She looked back and forth between the two of them, worried.
“It means he really likes you,” said Sawyer. “And you seem to really like him too, so it seems to be working out.”
“I just never really thought this would happen to me,” said Maddie. “I thought it would happen to everyone else, but not me.”
“Maddie!” said Nora, her heart going out to her friend. Maddie had the lowest self-esteem of anyone she’d ever met. She wished Maddie could see what a sweet, fun person she was. She was crippled by a worry about her weight—and she wasn’t even that overweight. She’d even lost weight since she’d been dancing in the dance enclave for a year or so. “He’s only the first guy to ask you on a date. They’ll be lots and lots more.”
Maddie shrugged, picking at the crust of her bread. She’d only eaten a few bites. “I’m not like you, Nora.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” said Nora.
“I’m not the kind of girl that boys want to date,” said Maddie.
“You think I am?” said Nora.
“You and Sawyer stand out more than I do.”
“Hey,” said Sawyer, “I’m not the kind of girl boys want to date either. Because most boys want girls who are, you know, actually girls.”
“Jack likes you,” said Maddie.
“Maybe.” Sawyer shrugged.
“Look, I’ve only ever had one boyfriend,” said Nora. “And he was a psycho who almost made you kill yourself. I hardly think that means I qualify as super attractive.”
“What about Agler?” asked Maddie. “What did you guys talk about the other night?”
Nora blushed.
Sawyer laughed. “Guess there wasn’t much talking going on, huh?”
“There’s nothing going on with Agler and me,” said Nora. “We’re only friends.”
“Whose lips accidentally attach to each other’s randomly?” snorted Sawyer.
“Let’s get back to Maddie,” said Nora. “She wants us to hang out with Daryl, right?”
Maddie nodded enthusiastically.
“We’re working on the snow sculpture today,” said Nora. “So bring him by then.”
* * *
Daryl was, in fact, very quiet. He spent most of the morning sitting on the ground watching the progress they made on the snow sculpture. Maddie tried to engage Daryl in conversation with Nora and Sawyer, but he mostly gave mono-syllabic answers. He didn’t seem unhappy, however, so Nora chalked it up to nerves.
Still, she wanted to be sure she could trust this guy with her best friend, so when they took a break from sculpting, she sprawled on the ground next to Daryl. Sawyer went off to pick up some hot chocolate.
“So, how long you been in the security enclave?” she asked.
Daryl shrugged. “A year or so, I guess.”
“You like it there?”
“I guess,” said Daryl.
“His parents are in the math enclave,” Maddie said.
“Do you like math, Daryl?” Nora asked.
“Not as much as my parents,” Daryl said.
“What kind of stuff do they even do in the math enclave?” Nora wrinkled up her nose. She’d never found math particularly creative herself.
“Find patterns in numbers,” said Maddie. “Sequences, proofs, stuff like that.”
“So, um, how long have you been pining over Maddie here?” Nora asked, trying in vain to drag Daryl out of his shell.
“Since last summer.”
“Something happen last summer that made you notice her?” Nora said.
Daryl suddenly seemed interested in the snow. “Actually, I don’t want you t
o think badly of me or anything, but it was because of Owen.”
Nora raised her eyebrows. “Owen?” Owen had spent his time in Helicon in the security enclave, so it wasn’t surprising that Daryl knew him.
Daryl scooped up some snow in his glove and began to pack it into a snowball. “He was nuts. I knew it the minute he took us out into the woods to tell us that he wanted to take over Helicon.”
That was why Daryl looked familiar! Nora remembered seeing him in the woods last year when Owen had gathered members of the security enclave to tell them about his plan to rule Helicon. Right before Owen had taunted Agler until he punched Owen.
“He was nuts,” Nora said quietly.
“He wasn’t very nice to Maddie,” Daryl muttered. “I didn’t like that about him.”
“He wasn’t very nice to anyone,” Nora said.
Daryl looked up at her. “No, I guess not.” He tossed the snowball on the ground. “Anyway, I wanted to protect Maddie back then, but I was too scared of Owen. And then it took me a whole month after they exiled him to work up the nerve to ask her out.” He smiled at Maddie. “I’m glad she said yes.”
Nora liked his smile. She liked Daryl. She could tell he really liked Maddie. He was okay in her book.
* * *
Before Nora knew it, it was the end of the week, and it was time for the Winter Ball. Sawyer had made three gorgeous dresses for them to wear. Nora’s was made of green velvet. It set off her red hair and made her feel beautiful. She huddled in her voluminous skirts next to Sawyer, who was wearing a silver sequined gown. They watched Daryl and Maddie together. Their sculpture had been selected to be displayed at the dance. It glittered in the light from the fire. Daryl and Maddie twirled amongst the sculptures along with the other muses.
“It’s good to see her happy,” said Nora.
“Yeah,” said Sawyer, “at least one of us has a date.” He fingered his skirt. “I think Jack was thinking of asking me, but then he saw my dress, and I think it freaked him out.”
“Did he say something?”
“Not exactly,” said Sawyer. “But there was something in his eyes. He looked... scared. I don’t know if he’s ready for all this.” Sawyer gestured to his shiny skirt.
“Well, you look beautiful, darling.” Nora exaggerated her voice so that it was a soft drawl.
The Helicon Muses Omnibus: Books 1-4 Page 32