Over the Hills and Far Away: The Helicon Muses, #4

By Val St. Crowe

A new year in Helicon, and Nora Sparrow is determined that this one will be a drama-free. She's intent on doing nothing but having fun, creating, and enjoying herself.

Unfortunately, drama strikes right away with an explosion at the Winter Ball. The assumed perpetrator is a muse named Lute Thundercloud, although he claims he didn't do it.

Sawyer Snow believes Lute. In fact, Sawyer can't stop thinking about Lute. He loves Nora, and he doesn't want to hurt her, but he is torn—shaken by this new attraction.

And before he can even quite come to grips with his feelings, he realizes that all the girls in Helicon have suddenly fallen madly in love with a skinny fourteen-year-old named Colin Oak—who also happens to be the same guy who accused Lute of causing the explosion.

It's becoming obvious that something's not quite right in Helicon…

 

The Helicon series is a soapy, irreverent portal fantasy wherein the drama of teen relationships tends to overshadow whatever magical threat they're trying to fight. Lots of drinking, swearing, inappropriate sexual decisions, grappling with sexual orientation and gender, and random appearances by mythological figures thrown in for good measure. It's genre-bending, impossible to categorize, and for everyone out there who equally loves Gossip Girl, Rocky Horror, and Narnia.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Punk Rawk Books
• Release date: Oct 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201079703

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Sawyer Snow floated on his back underneath the fountain in the public baths in Helicon. The fountain featured entangled nymphs and mermaids, and water cascaded down over the stone figurines. The water burst out of all of their orifices—eyes, nose, mouth, nipples, and ears. He peered up at it, thinking that if the mermaids were real, it wouldn’t be very comfortable to have water coming out of their eyes and ears.

Abruptly, Sawyer felt himself get pulled down under the water. He was submerged in the warm darkness, his eyes wide. Arms held him down.

He thrashed, trying to get free.

The arms let up, and Sawyer surfaced, sputtering.

Giggles from behind him. The slick smoothness of his girlfriend Nora’s naked skin as she hugged him from behind.

He whirled in her slippery grasp. What the hell was that?

She was still giggling. Just having fun.

He glared at her. Don’t do that.

Are you mad?

He pushed away from her.

She looked up at the ceiling, letting out a disbelieving guffaw. "I wasn’t serious."

He rolled over and swam through the water. The baths were huge, the size of a big pool. They were filled with water from underground hot springs. The surroundings were decorated with stone carvings similar to the fountain. Sawyer stared out at the them, trying to calm his breathing. It’s not fun to make me feel like I’m drowning.

You’re kidding. It was two seconds, Sawyer. You didn’t have time to drown.

You don’t get it, he said. I’m the one who was dead for days a month ago.

You were not. You were just in Nifhel. I saw you down there, moving around and breathing. You were totally alive.

He pressed his lips together in a firm line, staring at her as he treaded water. She didn’t understand. He’d been hit with Thor’s hammer, and he’d been killed. One second alive, the next awakening in Niflhel, the Norse underworld, presided over by the goddess Hel, who was beautiful on one half of her body and a skeletal mess on the other half. He’d been dead—barely able to move or talk or think. He’d felt stiff and sluggish, like his body was made of sawdust, his head filled with straw. It had been horrible. He shuddered just thinking about it. Don’t do that, okay?

She rolled her eyes. Fine, Sawyer. I’ll be good. No more horseplay in the baths. She dove under the water.

Sawyer smoothed back his wet hair, keeping it out of his eyes. Maybe he was being too harsh on her. She hadn’t meant anything by it, after all, and besides, she was his girlfriend. She’d traveled to Niflhel to release him. She hadn’t let him go. Their love was strong and—

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of laughter.

Lute Thundercloud and Rufus Twigg were coming into the baths. They were also tweens—that was what people between the ages of thirteen and twenty-five were called here in Helicon. Sawyer’d had a few nasty exchanges with Rufus last year. Rufus and his then-boyfriend Duncan had given Sawyer a hard time about switching teams. They said that a person could only be gay or straight, not switch back and forth, which was what they thought Sawyer was doing. His first relationship had been with a guy, Jack Beech, but after that relationship had fallen apart, he’d ended up dating Nora. Truthfully, he’d been attracted to Nora ever since he’d met her.

Sawyer wasn’t a typical kind of guy, though. He didn’t really even feel like a guy. Of course, he didn’t feel like a girl either. He felt as if he belonged to neither gender, so he took aspects of each and appropriated them, but he didn’t commit fully to being either a girl or a guy. That meant that he wore skirts and dresses and that he liked to sew clothes. But it didn’t mean that he wanted to be a girl. Nor did it necessarily mean that he had to be attracted to men.

Necessities aside, there was no escaping the fact that Sawyer was struck dumb by the sight of Lute.

He’d seen Lute around, of course. Tons of times. Lute’s family was from the music enclave, and Lute spent most of his time there, making music. But Sawyer had never really noticed him. He’d always blended in with the other tweens—tall, dreadlocks, carrying around a drum or a guitar or some other instrument.

But Lute had changed.

For one thing, he was taller than Sawyer remembered. For another, he’d cut his hair, and now it hung in ringlets around his face. His shoulders had gotten a lot broader, and he seemed to have muscles everywhere. Sawyer could see that because Lute was only wearing a towel wrapped around his waist. His chest was bare, and Sawyer could see every swell and dip of Lute’s tanned skin. It was warm inside the baths, and Lute’s skin shimmered with a slight sheen of sweat. His muscles glistened. The muscles in his arms, the muscles in his chest, the muscles in his stomach…

Gods, how could a boy have so many muscles in his stomach like that?

Sawyer stared.

Sawyer? said Nora’s voice.

He turned to look at her. She was standing up in the shallows, and the water came up to her waist. She had one arm thrown over her body, covering her bare breasts. She looked beautiful—female and soft and sweet.

But she wasn’t taking his breath away, he realized.

Panic rose in his chest.

Why the hell had he thought that?

You okay? she said.

He swam over to her and pulled her arm away, baring one of her breasts. He covered it with his own hand. He kissed her neck, murmured in her ear, Let’s go back to the tent, okay?

She giggled, slapping his hand away. Sawyer, there are other people here. But she was smiling.

He kissed her fiercely. Didn’t stop kissing her long enough to do anything more than get out of the baths, barely acknowledge Rufus and Lute, and hurry back to the tent they shared in the tweens and rebels enclave.

Once there, he threw Catling—Nora’s cat-duck chimera pet—off the hammock and pushed Nora onto her back, peeling off the sopping robe she was wearing.

He kissed her everywhere he could kiss her. She writhed against him, moaning. She was loud, and it was still light outside, and he usually would have been embarrassed, but he was only desperate right then.

Desperate because it wasn’t working.

He never had any problem with Nora. He was attracted to her. He was in love with her.

But…

She reached down between his legs to touch him there.

She gave him a funny look. What’s wrong?

Nothing. It’s nothing.

Sawyer, this was your idea. She grinned at him. You got me all worked up, and you’re…

Soft. He made a face at himself. Give me a second, he muttered.

He called up the image of Lute in the baths—his glistening chest and rippling stomach. There. That was more like it.

He opened his eyes and gazed at Nora. He made love to her like he was starving, and she was his only sustenance. He was in love with her. She did take his breath away. She was everything he ever wanted.

Right?

* * *

Hey, you lovebirds, wake up! called Nora’s friend Maddie from outside her tent. Nora tried to roll over, but she only collided with Sawyer, since they were in the hammock together. It had only been a week ago that the two of them had decided it didn’t make sense to have two separate tents. They were both always sleeping in the other person’s tent anyway. So, they’d consolidated into one big tent, which had two separate rooms and everything.. In theory, it was romantic. In practice, Nora was beginning to miss having the option of sleeping in a hammock alone. Sharing with Sawyer seemed to get more uncomfortable by the day.

Go away, Maddie, Nora yelled back.

Ha! Fat chance.

That was when Nora realized that she could see her breath. Damn, it was cold. She sat up straight.

She’d missed the snow announcement again.

Nora climbed out of the hammock.

Sawyer moaned in his sleep.

Nora shivered. She grabbed a blanket off the floor and wrapped it tightly around her body. Then she made her way into the other section of her tent, where she and Sawyer had two couches. Maddie was standing there, already in her snow clothes. She’d tracked white clumps of it inside.

It snowed, said Nora.

Don’t feel bad, said Maddie. Agler and I didn’t bother to go to the council meeting last night either. We found out from Jack. We would have told you yesterday, but everyone in the enclave could hear how busy you and Sawyer were, so we didn’t want to interrupt.

Nora blushed. She guessed she had been a little loud yesterday. She wasn’t sure what had gotten into Sawyer, but he’d really been, well, intense. She studied her feet and coughed. Everyone could hear, huh?

Maddie laughed. As long as you were having fun.

Nora grinned at her friend. Look, did you get me snow clothes or not?

Maddie shrugged. What do you think?

You little harpy. If you make me walk through the snow in bare feet—

Relax, Agler has them. Maddie turned and pulled aside the flap of the tent. You can come in, Agler.

Maddie’s boyfriend Agler ducked inside the tent. He was older than them by three years or so, but he had been part of their group for years now. He and Nora had even been together for a while. He held a bundle of cloth in his arms. In Helicon, the clothing enclave made special clothing that kept the muses warm and was also completely water repellent. It resembled suede and it was incredibly comfortable.

Nora took the snow clothes from him. Thanks, Agler.

He grinned. Sure thing. I was a little hesitant about coming inside here. I didn’t know if we were going to find clothes strewn all over the place and the two of you indecent.

Nora blushed harder. Shut up.

Did it snow?

They all turned to see Sawyer peering out from the other room in the tent, looking bleary eyed.

Good morning, said Agler. Can you still walk?

What? said Sawyer.

Nora headed back with their snow clothes. They heard us yesterday.

Everyone in Helicon heard you, said Agler.

Oh, said Sawyer. Good.

Good? said Nora.

Maddie and Agler both laughed.

Meet us outside, Maddie called as she slipped through the outside flap back into the snow.

Sawyer yawned. That was nice of them to get us snow clothes.

Nora pushed them into his arms. Let’s get dressed, okay?

* * *

Once outside in her snow clothes, Nora threw her arms around her best friend. It’s snowing!

Maddie hugged her back, giggling. It’s perfect, isn’t it?

I’m so glad that you’re feeling better this year, said Nora. The snow was Maddie’s favorite time of the year in Helicon, and she always got Nora and Sawyer up early to enjoy it, but last year, Maddie had been devastated over the loss of her ex-boyfriend Daryl and angry at the world. Last year, Sawyer and I slept so late that it was all trampled over by the time we woke up.

Well, said Maddie, I kind of slept a little later than I wanted. She pointed to a few trails out of the tweens and rebels enclave, heading out through the archway towards the rest of Helicon. We’re not the first ones up.

We’re close, said Nora, linking arms with her friend.

And together, the two of them ran with full force out into the snow, leaving behind the enclave where all the tweens slept in their snow-covered tents.

Nora and Maddie hurried out into the pristine whiteness, where they both promptly tumbled into the white fluffiness and began making snow angels.

Sawyer and Agler came after them at a slower pace. The guys peered down at them.

We don’t have a heater for our tent, said Sawyer. Catling’s going to freeze.

No, we got you one, said Maddie, sawing her arms and legs through the snow. Agler, where is it?

Yeah, it’s in my tent, said Agler. He turned to Sawyer. You want to go back with me? I’ll get it for you.

Sure, said Sawyer. The heaters used both solar power and magic to work. They kept the tents nice and toasty, so that it was possible to camp out in the snow.

The two guys turned and headed back for the enclave.

Maddie gave one last swipe of her arms and legs and sat up. So, I guess you’re enjoying the fact you guys moved in together?

Nora continued to pump her limbs.

Maddie got up carefully and surveyed her snow angel. She cocked her head. You’re not saying anything, Nora.

It’s great, said Nora.

You can stop that. I can see the grass underneath.

Oh. Nora scrambled to her feet. Sure enough, there were tufts of green peering out in the wings and skirt of her angel. She grabbed up handfuls of snow and packed it down over the grass. There. Now, it’s perfect.

Nora, said Maddie, what’s going on? You and Sawyer are having issues, aren’t you? I swear, we never get half a second of peace before someone’s fighting with someone—

"We’re fine, said Nora. Besides, you should talk, considering you didn’t speak to us for months last year."

Maddie shrugged. I was young and stupid. What can I say?

I suppose now you’re much more mature.

"Much more."

Nora grinned and slung an arm around her best friend. Don’t worry. Everything’s perfect. You have Agler. I have Sawyer. This is going to be a totally drama-free year. We’ll just be happy and have fun and create. Like you’re supposed to in Helicon.

Maddie laid her head on Nora’s shoulder. Sounds wonderful.

When the guys got back, having turned on the heater for Catling, the three headed to the food enclave for breakfast. It was early, but some of the muses were up and cooking. Breakfast and lunch were catch-as-catch-can meals in Helicon. If a cooking muse was feeling inspired (and someone always was), he or she would be making some kind of breakfast food and usually making enough to share. It was most likely that lots of cooking muses would be bustling about in the morning, so there was usually a smorgasbord of food to choose from.

Being early, there were only about three options, and the friends all ended up deciding on chocolate walnut waffles, oranges, and coffee. They sat together at the table they always shared and dug in.

She and Maddie kept up a steady stream of conversation throughout breakfast, with Agler throwing in comments here and there. He was especially concerned with how much of the waffle Maddie was eating. Maddie ate her orange and sucked down her coffee and said she wasn’t hungry. Agler didn’t like that, but Sawyer reached over, speared Maddie’s waffle, stuck it on his plate, and said he’d eat it. That was that. Other than that, Sawyer was fairly quiet during breakfast. Nora barely noticed, however, since she and Maddie were too busy gabbing.

By the time they finished breakfast and headed across the bridge over the frozen stream to the main field in Helicon, they had gone through a zillion ideas for snow sculptures. Every winter, all of the muses made snow sculptures. They were beautiful and detailed, some of the most amazing works of art that Nora had ever seen. The best sculptures were picked to be used as decorations at the Winter Ball, which would be happening at the end of the week.

After the Ball, the snow would melt, and it would be summer in Helicon again. Except for certain holidays, it was always summer in Helicon.

But once they got to the main meadow, Nora and Maddie had decided that they wanted to make a bouquet of flowers. They were excited.

What do you think? Maddie asked Agler, wrapping her hands around his arm.

Oh, now you ask me, said Agler. The way you two have been going on, I wasn’t sure that my opinion mattered.

Of course it matters.

Well, Agler said, flowers are kind of girly, aren’t they? Why don’t you guys just make the sculpture without me. I’m not really visually inclined, anyway. He was always having trouble deciding which enclave he belonged in. He liked to play music, but he wasn’t exceptionally good at it. He had bad rhythm, and he didn’t always sing on key. He tried different things, most notably the philosophy enclave. He’d probably end up there full time when he was twenty-six and graduated to being a full-fledged muse instead of a tween. That would be sooner for Agler than the rest of them.

No, we want your help, said Maddie. Of course we want your help. Besides, Sawyer doesn’t think that flowers are too girly, do you, Sawyer?

Well, that doesn’t count, said Agler. Sawyer’s practically a girl.

No, he’s not, said Nora. Explain it to him, Sawyer.

But Sawyer was running his toe back and forth in the snow, seemingly oblivious.

Sawyer? She nudged him.

He looked up. What?

They want to make flowers, said Agler.

Okay. Sawyer shrugged.

You know, Jack is more macho than you, and he’s actually gay, said Agler.

Sawyer made a face.

You okay? said Nora.

Sawyer nodded. Yeah, I’m great. Why wouldn’t I be great? He gave her a big smile.

CHAPTER TWO

Sawyer was heading back from the clothing enclave. It was dark outside, but there were lights from fires dotting the landscape of Helicon, and he could see where he was heading. He’d been working on the dresses he was making for the Winter Ball. It was tradition for him to make something every year for himself, Nora, and Maddie. He loved making dresses, and it had been nice to sink into creating. When he was sewing, he only thought about putting the fabric together. He was completely absorbed in the process, and he didn’t have to worry about anything.

The day had been stressful for him. Generally, it should have been fun. They’d worked on the snow sculpture all day long, only taking breaks for hot chocolate and lunch. They’d finished two of the flowers and had the basic outline of the rest of them and the vase. It would take a couple of days to get everything perfect, but it was coming along nicely. Any other time, he would have been quite pleased with the day’s progress. He probably would have spent the evening getting drunk around the fire in the tweens and rebels enclave. The wine and spirits enclave usually put together some amazing hot alcoholic drinks during the snow, and Sawyer liked to indulge. And he usually would have wanted to spend time with Nora.

But, well, the thing in the baths was only the latest in a string of revelations that were starting to trouble him.

He was fairly sure that it had all started in Niflhel. He’d been sitting there, barely able to move or think, and he’d tried to reassure himself about his life. He’d told himself that he’d experienced all the important things. He’d found his true identity and his true love, after all. What else mattered besides that?

And that was when it started. A niggling little bit of suspicion that maybe he hadn’t found either of those things.

Actually, who was he kidding? His true identity was that he didn’t have a gender? That was as good as it got? There had to be more to it. He was sure of it. He hadn’t had nearly enough time to explore all the aspects of femininity and masculinity, to try them all out and determine which ones he liked and which ones he didn’t.

And true love? He was nineteen years old. How was he supposed to know whether or not Nora was the only person he was ever going to love? How did he even know he wanted to fall in love with a woman? He’d never fallen in love with a man. Maybe he wanted to try that. Maybe he didn’t want everything so decided and over. Maybe he was too young to be so settled.

Overall, he’d known that he wasn’t ready to die. Not at all.

So, when Nora rescued him, he was glad of it, because he was glad to have more life. But ever since then, some part of him had been chafing in his own skin. He wanted to explore, to expand, to grow, to change. What was the purpose of being alive if you weren’t taking on new challenges and finding new excitement?

He knew thinking this way would hurt Nora. She was completely content with their lives. She didn’t have any cares or worries, and he wished he could be the way she was again. Glad of what they had.

But…

Every day, the niggling feeling grew more intense. It was harder and harder to bury. And he didn’t know what he was going to do about it. He kept hoping that if he ignored it, it would eventually go away. But it didn’t seem to be working.

He trudged through the snow. He was supposed to go back to the enclave and see Nora and the others, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to. He was afraid that if he looked her in the face, she’d see right through him and know something was wrong.

He went to the dining room in the food enclave instead.

He’d expected it to be empty. After all, there weren’t any other meals that were eaten here. The evening meal was eaten around the main fire pit. However, he supposed that sometimes people would come in here to rummage up a late night snack, especially if they’d been drinking too much.

Rufus Twigg and Lute Thundercloud were sitting at one of the tables, munching on cookies.

Wow, so those two were together all the time now. He wondered if they were a couple. He wasn’t sure if Lute was gay, though. The straight muses outnumbered the gay ones, and Sawyer was fairly sure he knew who all of them were. But maybe he was wrong. Or maybe Lute was a late bloomer.

He almost turned around and walked right out again. The last thing he wanted was to be confronted with Lute while he was thinking about all this crap.

But Lute waved at him. Hey. Sawyer, right?

Sawyer waved back. Hi, Lute. Rufus.

Lute beckoned. Sit down with us. I mean, if you’re not in a rush.

Sawyer hesitated. There was no reason on earth to sit down with Lute and Rufus. None at all.

But he found himself traipsing over and sitting down. The table was round, and he could see both of their faces.

Actually, I was just leaving, said Rufus.

Yeah, I know, said Lute. You’ve got stuff to do. But I want another cookie, and I want company, so maybe Sawyer will hang with me.

Rufus eyed Sawyer.

Sawyer looked away. He hadn’t spoken to Rufus since the other guy had given him crap for dating Nora.

Uh, how are you? said Rufus.

Fine, said Sawyer.

Rufus got up from the table. He pushed his chair in. He gripped it and took a deep breath. Hey, Sawyer, you know, about last year…

Sawyer looked at him expectantly.

Sorry about that, said Rufus. You know, it wasn’t really about you, it was just about how stupid all those rules were that Agler was making.

Right, said Sawyer. Agler had been jealous of Nora and Sawyer and tried to keep the two of them from being together. Don’t worry about it. It’s okay.

No, it’s not. It was crap of us, said Rufus. Really, I don’t care if you like girls or boys or both, you know?

Sawyer nodded. Forget it. Really.

Rufus took a deep breath. Well. Anyway. I just wanted you to know that I was sorry.

Like I said, forget about it.

Rufus nodded.

Sawyer nodded.

Rufus turned back to Lute. You sure you don’t want to come along?

Lute shook his head. Nah. Thanks for inviting me, though. Have fun.

Rufus nodded again. Okay, well, I’ll see you later.

See you, said Lute.

Rufus still didn’t leave.

Lute raised his eyebrows.

Rufus backed away from the table. He turned and started to walk towards the door. Then he stopped and looked back. You really don’t want to come?

Lute laughed. Bye, Rufus.

Rufus’s shoulders slumped. He turned and slouched out of the dining room.

Lute rubbed his chin. He had a fine, golden stubble. His hair was blond, but it wasn’t as light and silky as Sawyer’s. Lute had honey-colored curls. His eyes were blue. He grinned at Sawyer. You want a cookie?

Um…

Lute was already getting up. You should have one. They’re amazing. Macadamia nut and butterscotch chips. I never tasted anything like it.

Okay. Sawyer looked down at the table. What the heck was he doing here? And what was he going to tell Nora when she asked where he’d been? Should he lie? He couldn’t very well tell her that he’d eaten cookies with the most beautiful boy in the whole of Helicon, could he?

Lute returned with a plate full of cookies. I’m going to want more than one. You will too. You’ll see. He set the cookies down. Man, Rufus won’t leave me alone.

Yeah? said Sawyer. I thought maybe you guys were, you know… like a couple or something.

Lute threw back his head and laughed.

Is that funny? Sawyer swallowed. Oh, I guess you aren’t gay. I shouldn’t have—

No, it’s not that. Lute was still laughing. "I mean, I’m not gay. I mean, well, I don’t know. I don’t think I am. He waved that away. But no, it’s funny because even if I was gay, I would never go for someone like Rufus. And I have made that abundantly plain to him, and he won’t accept it."

Oh, said Sawyer. Well, maybe he’s just not picking up on your signals.

No, it’s not like that. Lute let out another laugh. I told him point blank. I said, ‘Rufus, I’m not into you like that. I just want to be friends.’ So, it’s not like there’s signals or whatever.

Maybe he’s just hanging out with you to be friendly?

Do you even like Rufus? I mean, don’t you think he’s kind of a dick?

Sawyer considered. The guy had been rude to him last year. But he’d apologized… He shrugged. I guess I don’t really know him.

"He’s just got his own ideas about things, you know? And he doesn’t want to