Echoes

by Chambers, V. J.

  * * *

  In the tweens and rebels enclave, sitting next to the fire pit, Nora and Owen shared a basket of chicken, potato salad, and other southern-style picnic items. Instead of having a romantic discussion, however, they were hashing something out.

  Owen set down a chicken leg. “Why do you do it? Why do you talk to me that way? You never used to talk to me like that.”

  Nora had a mouthful of potato salad. She chewed and swallowed. “Yeah, that’s because you used mind control on me.”

  That wasn’t like Nora either. Why was she joking about the fact? “I thought that made you feel violated.”

  Nora nodded, spooning up another bite of potatoes salad. “Oh, definitely. Because it was a violation. You didn’t treat me like a person. You treated me like… I don’t know… a dog or something.”

  Wow. And yet, she was saying this without any rancor. He couldn’t figure her out.

  Nora chewed her potato salad and swallowed again. “Yeah, a dog. Because I got the impression that you did feel a certain amount of affection towards me. Of course, maybe that was the spell that your mother had done on you.”

  “I guess so,” Owen said. “But it wasn’t all the spell.”

  “No?”

  “No,” he said. “I do care about you Nora. I don’t think I realized how much I did until that moment when you were almost dying, when you were filled with Nimue’s power.” He furrowed his brow, thinking about it. It had surprised him. He hadn’t expected to be so desperate to save her.

  Nora shrugged. “You’re just saying that. Everything out of your mouth is an attempt to manipulate me.”

  “And yet you’re still here,” he said.

  Nora shrugged. “I know you, Owen. I know that you have a lot of darkness inside you. But you’re not all dark. Not all dark at all.”

  Owen wasn’t sure what to say to that. This new Nora was difficult for him to know how to handle. She was bold. She yelled at him when she didn’t like the way that he behaved, even hit him. She said what she thought. And she was… surprisingly experienced. Owen had known she had been with Agler and also with Sawyer. But Sawyer, of course, was not particularly masculine. He didn’t think much of Agler either. Still, she knew all these new tricks. Someone had taught her them. Owen had to admit that he didn’t particularly like the idea of thinking of her being with other men. More and more, he felt oddly possessive of her.

  What he couldn’t understand was why she still wanted him.

  And she did want him. It was obvious that she wanted him. She was always around him. She never left him alone. And when she kissed him… When she touched him…

  Even though it was Valentine’s Day, he wasn’t sure if he wanted any more of that tonight. When her hands were on him, sometimes he found it hard to think. She frightened him. She might have power over him—her hands might have power over him—and that wasn’t acceptable. No one could have power over him.

  “The point is that I’m not afraid of you,” Nora said. “That wasn’t a component to our relationship before. It was very unbalanced. You had more power than I did.”

  That was funny. It was as if she was reading his mind. He grimaced.

  “Now I think we’re equals.”

  Owen arched an eyebrow. “Equals?”

  She smiled. “I did get a lot of Nimue’s power. As much as my body could handle, in fact.”

  “Oh, yes, but I got some as well.”

  “Right, right. And you were half-god before, yada yada yada. But I was always a muse. In the mundane world, I couldn’t be a muse, because it suppressed my creativity. Here, however, I’m able to spread my wings, realize my full potential.” She got the last bite of potato salad into her mouth. She was grinning.

  Owen shook his head at her. “You’re playing a game with me, aren’t you?”

  Nora laughed. “Game?”

  He leaned forward. “There’s something different about you. I can’t put my finger on it. Why are you…?”

  She leaned forward, her voice husky. “I’m the same Nora I’ve always been.”

  No, no she wasn’t.

  Her voice was a rough whisper. “Are you glad to be back in Helicon?”

  “You know I am,” he said.

  “But you’re always saying things,” she said. “Like what you said to Agler the other day. How all the muses are shortsighted.”

  “They are.”

  “But you’re glad to be here?”

  “I am,” he said. “Certainly, there are things that could be improved on here.”

  “Improved on?”

  But what was he saying? He couldn’t talk about this with her. Not yet. She wasn’t ready. He rummaged through the basket, looking for something to change the subject with. “Is there dessert?”

  “I think so. Some sort of cream pie,” she said. “Honestly, though, I’m stuffed. I can wait for later.”

  He took out the pie.

  “How could Helicon be improved?” she said.

  He looked up at her. “Why do you want to know?”

  She crawled across the blanket to him. Now she was close, very close.

  He wanted to pull away, but he didn’t. Maybe because a part of him didn’t want to pull away. Part of him liked being close to her like this.

  “I want to know everything about you,” she said.

  And her lips were on his. He felt assailed by the sensation of it. He wanted her. She frightened him, but he wanted her.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Sawyer was surprised to see Maddie that morning. It was bright and early, and they were both standing outside the food enclave. He wandered over to her. “Maddie? I didn’t expect you to be here.”

  “Yeah,” she said. “I know I always complained about how my mother made me help out with the planting in the spring, but I decided I needed something to do. There’s only so much time I can spend in the dancing enclave.”

  “Don’t you want to spend time with Agler?” Sawyer said.

  Maddie made a face. “Agler and I are…”

  Sawyer nodded. “Yeah. I have to admit maybe I’m doing this for the same reason. I mean, it’s got to be crappy of me. Lute’s upset because I’m distant. Because I’m always thinking about something else. So what do I go and do? I sign up to help out with the planting so that I’ve got, you know, an excuse to be distant.”

  “I didn’t know things were going badly with you and Lute.”

  “Not badly exactly,” said Sawyer. “It’s just that I’m worried about Nora.”

  “Oh, right,” said Maddie. “Well, I’m worried too.”

  “I thought I’d start working on the planting. I remember that it can be really meditative. Sitting there hoeing or planting bulbs or whatever. And, while you’re doing that, your brain is free. Maybe I can figure everything out.”

  “Figure everything out?” said Maddie.

  “Yeah. You know, like what’s wrong with Nora. Actually, I had a theory about that.”

  But Sawyer was prevented from sharing this by Silas Sower who began addressing the gathered muses.

  There were about thirteen of them there. They had volunteered to help out with the planting that year. Although some of the food that was created for Helicon was created by muse magic, the rest of it was actually grown. There were fields and greenhouses and lots of space to grow enough food for all of them.

  In the past, Maddie’s mother would always volunteer her to help out, in a desperate attempt to convince Maddie to be part of the food enclave. But since Maddie had lost all the weight, her mother seemed to accept the fact that she was going to be a dancer. She hadn’t bothered to volunteer her for a couple years. Still, for various reasons, Maddie kept finding herself back here anyway.

  Silas gave his typical speech about how great it was to plant the food in what a wonderful life cycle they were all part of, etc. Then he started to put people into pairs and give them tasks. Due to the odd number of participants, Maddie and Sawyer ended up having to be part of a thr
eesome. Silas put Coeus with them. He sent the three of them to work on hoeing rows of sweet peas.

  Maddie was surprised to see Coeus there. “I didn’t know that you were interested in planting,” she said to him.

  “Oh, generally I’m not,” Coeus said. “But now that the engineering enclave isn’t doing anything to help out, I kind of feel like it’s my civic duty to help out in some other way.”

  Maddie was impressed. Coeus was really great that way.

  “Engineering isn’t what?” said Sawyer, picking up a hoe.

  “You didn’t hear?” Maddie said, getting another hoe. “Everyone was talking about it. They refused to be the teardown crew for Helicon.”

  “Huh,” Sawyer said. “About time.”

  “Anyway, I just want to be helpful,” Coeus said. “So that’s why I’m here.”

  Coeus picked up a hoe as well. The three surveyed the area where they’d be planting.

  “Well, I guess we should get to work,” Maddie said.

  They did.

  For quite some time, they worked in relative silence. It wasn’t extremely taxing work, so they weren’t out of breath or anything. But Sawyer didn’t feel he could say anything in front of Coeus. He didn’t have anything against Coeus, but Coeus was an adult. They’d worked with him before on various issues, but that didn’t mean Sawyer wanted to confide all of his deepest darkest secrets to him, either.

  As if responding to his thoughts, Coeus spoke up. “Sorry if I’m intruding on the two of you. Really, you should feel comfortable saying whatever you want. I can tune it all out.”

  “Oh, we’re not uncomfortable around you,” Maddie said, but she may have spoken a little too quickly.

  Coeus chuckled. “Don’t be ridiculous. Knowing the two of you, there’s some kind of massive drama going on.”

  “Not really,” Sawyer said. “Unless, of course, you count Owen.” He rested on his hoe. “Hey, you and Phoebe are together. So maybe she’s told you why it is she wants Owen back in Helicon.”

  Coeus shook his head. “Sorry. I don’t know what’s going on with that. She won’t talk about it. When I do try to bring it up, she shuts it right down.”

  “But you aren’t worried about it?” Maddie said. “I mean you think it’s okay for Owen to be here.”

  “So far, nothing bad has happened,” Coeus said. “Phoebe usually knows what she’s doing. I try to give her the benefit of the doubt. I gotta say that Owen kid worries me, though.”

  “Worries?” Sawyer said. “That’s putting it mildly, isn’t it?”

  Coeus surveyed them. “Are you more than worried? Do you know something that I don’t? I don’t live in the tweens and rebels enclave with you. What have you seen?”

  Sawyer shook his head. “Nothing.”

  “No one’s seen anything,” Coeus said. “That’s with Phoebe always points out. She says everything’s fine.”

  “Well, nothing except the fact that both Nora and Phoebe seem to think it’s okay for him to be here now,” Maddie said. “Can you think of anyone else who’s been brought back after being in exile like that?”

  “Nope,” said Coeus.

  “But you’re only a little worried,” said Sawyer.

  “Look, that isn’t what I said,” said Coeus.

  Sawyer scrutinized him.

  Coeus made himself busy hoeing. “Anyway, I’d just as soon not discuss it too much, I guess.”

  “Why not?” said Sawyer.

  “Well, you know how last time he was here, he basically got inside everyone’s head, right?” Coeus said.

  “I guess so,” said Maddie. “What does that matter, though?”

  “What if he can read minds?” Coeus said. “What if he tunes in whenever someone’s thinking about him, talking about him, says his name?”

  “You are concerned about Owen,” Sawyer said.

  “Of course, I’m concerned,” said Coeus. “Everyone’s concerned. We’re all riding it out until something happens, though.”

  “That’s not the best course of action,” Sawyer said. “I mean, sure, in the past, he’s been pretty obvious about what he was doing. But what if he’s learned that’s not the best way? What if he’s doing something that won’t be detected?”

  Coeus hoed thoughtfully. “You guys have always been a little different than the other muses in the tweens enclave, haven’t you? You’re always trying to do something, trying to protect Helicon.”

  “We do what we can,” said Sawyer.

  “Well,” said Coeus, “and I’m by no means saying that there’s anything really going wrong, you understand. But if there were something going wrong, and if that thing that was going wrong did happen to involve Owen Asher hearing people’s thoughts, I might suggest that there would be a place where people could go to discuss that problem without him hearing them think.”

  Maddie and Sawyer both stopped hoeing to look at him.

  But Coeus kept at what he was doing. “If you went to the north of Helicon, way to the north, almost to the northern edge, and found a big, crooked tree, then underneath its roots, you’d find an old tunnel. Couple hundred years ago, an engineering muse created it. It’s impervious to magic, completely soundproof, and impossible to detect. Not saying there’s any reason you’d need to go there, of course.”

  Sawyer started to hoe again. “You don’t think… that by telling us that… he might have overheard you?”

  “Hope not.” Coeus grinned. “It’s early in the morning. I hear he sleeps in.”

  * * *

  Lute rapped on the side of the tunnel wall. It was made of something metallic. “This place is crazy.”

  The tunnel was tall enough that they could all stand upright with three or four feet above their heads. It was lit with rows of hanging lights that gave off a faintly blue-tinged white light. The air was musty and cool.

  “Coeus told us about it for a reason,” Sawyer was saying.

  Lute sighed. Trust Sawyer to be all business, not wanting to take a minute to get used to their surroundings. If he’d just look around, he might see how nifty everything was. But Sawyer was only focused on this stuff with Nora and Owen. It consumed him, and there was no room in his head for anything else. Not even for Lute.

  Lute got it. He did. He knew that there could be danger for Helicon, for everyone. And he knew that protecting Helicon was kind of Sawyer’s thing. Sawyer had even been killed by Thor’s hammer and sent to Niflhel, the Norse underworld, for his trouble. When Lute had first started dating Sawyer, he’d been awed by those kinds of stories, amazed to be intimate with someone who’d been to so many interesting places and done so much in his young life. Lute himself had never done anything except live here in Helicon and create music.

  He was happy doing that. His life was full.

  But he was beginning to realize that Sawyer needed more. Sawyer was never satisfied with the status quo.

  Lute wasn’t exactly sure if there was really anything wrong with Owen Asher or not. Maybe the guy really had turned over a new leaf. After all, if Phoebe thought that he was okay, who was Lute to disagree?

  Anyway, it was important to Sawyer. So Lute was out here, out in this strange tunnel—which was pretty cool, he had to admit—with Sawyer, Maddie, and Agler. And maybe they were going to come up with a plan to thwart the evil Owen. Maybe not. Lute was along for the ride, no matter what happened.

  “Do you think it’s really true?” Maddie said. “Do you think he’s really reading people’s minds?”

  “Well, he could do it before, couldn’t he?” said Sawyer.

  “I don’t know,” said Agler. “Didn’t he just plant thoughts?”

  “It didn’t affect me,” said Sawyer. “It only affected you two. What was it like?”

  “It was horrible,” said Maddie. “And anyway, it’s clouded. It’s hard to remember what it was like while we were under his control.”

  “Yeah,” said Agler. “I really don’t think he read thoughts.”

  “Whatev
er,” said Sawyer. “Coeus seemed to think he could. Maybe Phoebe confided in him or something.”

  “But she said he didn’t,” said Maddie.

  “Look, we’re out here—”

  “Yeah, and it took like a half hour to walk all the way up here,” said Agler. “My pants got caught on a tree branch and ripped. I really liked them.” He held up the rip to show them all.

  Sawyer glared at them. “Why are you guys being like this? We have to do something about Owen.”

  “Okay, agreed,” said Agler. “But why do we have to come all the way out here?”

  “Because Coeus—”

  “We’re already out here,” said Lute, trying to stop an argument before it started. “Maybe we should go ahead and try to figure out what it is we’re going to do against Owen.”

  Everyone got quiet.

  “I guess that’s the real question, isn’t it,” said Agler. “That’s what we’re trying to figure out. How can we stop someone like Owen? He’s way too powerful for us.”

  “We stopped him before,” Sawyer said. “We’ve gone up against him at least three times.”

  “Not really,” Maddie said. “We’ve gone up against him twice. The last time we went against him, we were really working with him.”

  “And it’s not as if we really ever had to face him down,” Agler said.

  “I went up against him in Avalon,” Sawyer said.

  “No,” Maddie said. “What happened was you and Nora managed to get away from him while he was trying to kill Nimue.”

  “The point is, none of us have actually had to fight him,” Agler said. “I punched him a couple times, but I get the feeling he wanted me to do that. He’s very manipulative.”

  “We don’t even know what he’s up to,” Lute said. He really felt this was the crux of the issue. They were all convinced that Owen was bad news, but they had absolutely no proof of this one way or the other.

  “Well, how are we supposed to figure that out?” Maddie said.

  “Well,” said Lute. “Maybe he’s said something to other people. He hasn’t been completely alone since he’s been back in Helicon. I heard he was trying to find somewhere to hang out, an enclave to call home.”