Authors: S.K. Munt
Callie stared hard at Ardos. ‘My ward… are you talking about Hunter, or Ryan?’
Ardos looked pained. ‘From what Clio has dredged from your consciousness, I believe that it is the one named Hunter. Ryan is an impressive musician, but he would have been so regardless of your presence. With you there, he probably would have gone further, and dug deeper- but without you, Hunter is certainly going to swerve off the path to what might have been a magnificent destiny.’
‘Oh.’ Callie looked down at her hands, chewing on that, despairing that wonderful, talented Ryan was not destined for the greatness Hunter was, while feeling mollified that her instincts about Hunter had been spot-on. ‘And that would have hurt me?’
‘You know the answer to that- I can see that you’re grieving for the loss of Hunter as we speak as a human, while the Muse side of you is worried sick about his career.’
Callie felt tears prick her eyes, for he was right. ‘I can’t believe my own family- my own mother…’ her lip trembled. ‘I must be so hateful to deserve that!’
Ryan brushed her hair out of her face. ‘No darling… no. In fact, you were always sort of Memoria’s favorite- I suspect that she took your memory to protect you, not to add to your punishment. No one asked for that, not even Imogen.’
‘Why?’
‘Hurting Hunter would have caused you distress with a human heart, even if you’d known about your mission-’ he stroked her hair again. ‘But knowing what you’d done to Imogen in that form? It might have actually damaged you irrevocably.’
Callie rested her forehead in the palm of her hand. If it was that bad, no wonder Imogen seemed intent on her remembering! ‘Will you tell me what I did to Imogen?’
‘No. It’s not my place, and I want this to be as easy on you as it can be.’ He sighed. ‘Imogen wants you to feel her hurt, but I don’t, not when you’re so vulnerable. She was hoping that you would fall madly in love with Hunter and give him your heart- but that’s my idea of a nightmare.’
‘Are you the jealous type?’ Callie asked.
‘Yes.’ He said darkly. ‘But it’s more complex than that. The thing is Callie, that Muses only exist for their craft. You have been given so much power, so much joy, as a direct result of how much you give and inspire in return. And you can only give that when music and dance are your heart’s only priority.’ He swallowed. ‘If you decided to give your heart away to a human man, selfishly putting yourself above all else -you would die. As a Muse and a human. That rule pre-dates even my existence and Imogen is hoping you break it but I couldn’t stand to lose you. That’s where she is selfish and unkind, and why I am tying to shield you from your memories, keep you strong so you don’t give your heart away believing that it’s worthless.’
Callie jumped to her feet. ‘So you’re telling me that I have this universal mission to help keep the creative world turning but because I made one mistake, my sister wants me and all I stand for wiped from the face of the earth?’ Her heart was shaking like a storm door during a tornado. She thought of how deeply she had come to care for Hunter. Had she almost perished as a result? ‘If you’re so crazy about me then why agree to the terms of her stupid curse in the first place? You or this Memoria woman? Death isn’t a slap on the wrist!’
Ardos jumped up. ‘Please calm down. You wouldn’t be gone forever-’ He clutched at Callie’s wrists, his eyes pleading with her to hear him out. ‘Your human body -this, would have died if you’d given your heart away. Your body and soul would have split- your human body perishing on earth, your soul going to Oblivion, your true form; the divine equivalent of both combined that belongs here, would be absent, and your influence would be diminished everywhere for exactly one moment.’
Callie’s posture relaxed somewhat. ‘Only for one moment? That doesn’t sound so bad then.’
‘A lot can happen in one moment Callie, which you would know if you remembered what you did to get yourself into this mess in the first place.’ He paused. ‘After the Imogen incident, you were detained here and robbed of your powers- grounded you might say and for a while, there was no Muse of Music; here or on earth. You were furious- and Disco truly did suck.’ Callie gave him a lethal look but Ardos continued to look amused as he went on: ‘Anyway, the lack of your influence was felt immediately and if you are sucked into Oblivion, it will be again. Musicians everywhere will put down their instruments or have dreamless sleeps, singers would cancel concerts for feeling out of sorts or uninspired, babies who were supposed to be born to pursue a musical destiny would be born into a world without purpose, and for one moment people wouldn’t hum or dance… the world would go on and they would not even notice, and that would tear you apart and reduce you to nothingness. That is the only true death a Muse can know; the death of her soul.’
‘But only for a moment,’ Callie pressed. ‘Right?’
Ardos winced. ‘The initial death and its silence would be momentary, but afterwards, you would have to remain in Oblivion until you were willed back. It would be like being paralysed- and it could last for decades. That state of being is heaven to humans, but hell to your sisters- that’s why we call it Oblivion.’
Callie felt a chill run down her spine. ‘How can you know this?’
He fixed her with mournful golden eyes. ‘Because Callie, there were once nine Muses but only seven and a half remain corporeal. We are still waiting for your sister Lania to return, but her situation is almost completely hopeless. She was already disappearing when she gave her heart to her human lover and now, she is little more than atmosphere. But once, she was the one you all longed to be.’
Callie looked over her shoulder again, but saw nothing. ‘What was she the Muse of?’
Ardos looked pained. ‘The Muse of the Greek Gods.’
Callie sucked in a breath to learn that the Greek Gods not only existed, but had become extinct. ‘Isn’t that what we are? Who we descend from? My mother and father…’ Callie tried to remember what Marnie had babbled about at the disco when talking about her history assignment. ‘Well my father was Zeus… right?’
‘Yes. And once he was omnipotent.’ Ardos looked genuinely saddened. ‘But people stopped believing in them centuries ago, Calliope and then they began to blink out like bursting stars. Memoria, hung on the longest- your sisters stopped seeing her or even sensing her about a week ago, both here and on earth.’
Callie’s hand cupped her heart. ‘One week?’ She whispered hoarsely.
Ardos nodded sadly. ‘Yes it is bad timing; I wonder if she used the last of her energy to create the storms Clio told us plagued you these past few weeks, trying to bring you home for a final good-bye, hoping to trigger your memory, for I know that she left triggers there in hope that you’d find them.’
Callie was in complete shock. She’d always believed herself to be sweet and kind, so learning- no knowing that she wasn’t, that she had brought pain upon so many people, was the hardest fact about herself to swallow. Callie wasn’t low-key; she was cold and disconnected! She hadn’t run from Hunter and Ryan because she’d been upset that they wanted to use her; she’d run because she sensed on some level that she was using them. Perhaps she’d escaped death simply because Hunter had been the one to kiss her first, instead of the boy whose lyrics had moved her so much that she’d literally try to flee her emotions. What would have happened if Ryan had found her alone? Would she be in Oblivion? Or what if she’d given her body to Hunter the day before, and awoken wanting Ryan instead- would she be cured right now, for having hurt Hunter?
‘Kissed by a Muse…’ Callie whispered, mostly to herself, thinking of how possessed the boys had acted, how possessed they’d made her feel.
‘Being kissed by a Muse is a powerful thing. If you were kissed…’ she felt Ardos’s Adam’s apple move against the top of her head. ‘That might have triggered whatever it was that sent you running into the storm.’
Callie’s tears fell faster. She’s wanted Ryan! But she’d given away her first kiss to Hunter in a moment of heat and sentimentality! Now she couldn’t have either and deserved neither- and it was her own fault!
‘Oh Calliope…’ Ardos nestled her against him. ‘Please don’t cry. When we find what triggers your memory, I will get you through what it reveals. And now that you know about Hunter, you will have your guard up- you’ll know only to give him the illusion of being close, and to keep your heart for yourself.’ He paused. ‘That is if you choose to return. You could always stay here, with me…’
‘Oh.’ Callie pulled back and looked up into Ardos’s face. He was handsome, so fair and light, the opposite of Ryan, but soft and humble, the opposite of Hunter. He was almost the best of both and yet nothing like either. She didn’t want him, not as anything more than a friend- but she would give him the chance to explain himself, to change her mind. ‘Is this when you tell me about the soul mate thing?’
Ardos smiled down at her. ‘I’ve already told you so much Callie and I can see that it’s overwhelming you. What if we just enjoy one another’s company for a while? After we’ve eaten and rested and you’ve allowed everything else to sink in, I’ll tell you how I factor into this.’ He stepped away away from her and held out his hand for her to grasp. ‘For now, I’m very much enjoying the way you’re looking at me; like you’ve never seen me before.’ He blushed, and it was glorious. ‘After several millennia of waiting to turn your head, I would love a fresh start.’
Callie smiled shyly at him and placed her hands in Ardos’s, trying not to think about how perfectly wrong it felt to touch fingers not calloused by guitar strings.
*
Calliope was awoken by a soft, cool hand pressing against her mouth. Her eyes flew open, and though she’d sleepily expected to find Imogen staring angrily down at her, she was looking into the eyes of one of the other Muses- the one from the river. She frowned and tried to talk, but the girl- whose wide dark eyes were glittering brightly in the milky light, shook her head, brought her other finger to her lips and motioned for Calliope to follow her.
Callie glanced at Ardos over her shoulder. After spending a second day together, discussing little of anything, merely existing and exploring the landscape of their imaginations, they had fallen asleep under the gazebo. Callie was reluctant to leave his warm, comforting presence- it was nice to be around someone who demanded nothing of her- but the girl’s secretive manner had her intrigued and so she rose and followed her across the moonlit grass, assessing her hasty ‘sister’ as she stumbled over the unfamiliar rolling lawn, noting that the other girl seemed to shimmer and vanish at times like a moonlit mirage.
But it wasn’t until they’d neared the edge of a large cliff face that the girl finally turned around and smiled with tight, anxious eyes. ‘Okay, no one should hear us here...’
Callie halted, several feet from the edge of the mountain, feeling unease swell within her again. ‘Are you one of the sisters who hate me?’
The girl laughed. ‘None of us hate you, Calliope. Not even Imogen. She’s just really, really pissed off.’ The girl clasped Callie’s hands. She had dark hair, but she looked as human as Callie- plain in comparison to their sisters, though her skin was cooler to touch. ‘I am one of the irrelevant Muses, sister. I might only have years left before I vanish and even if I didn’t like you, I would not wish this fate upon anyone.’
Callie blinked. ‘You’re not Lania are you?’
But the girl shook her head. ‘Lania is gone. I am Hendra, Muse of war.’
Callie’s returning grip on her sister’s hands went limp. ‘War?’
Hendra’s chin lifted almost regally. ‘It is not as it sounds, Calliope. Once, you understood me better than anyone. Wars are a hateful, ugly business but they were necessary to get the civilizations who flourished from them to the point where they might flourish,’ she sighed. ‘But Raina’s purpose has all but obliterated mine…’
Calliope raised an eyebrow. ‘And Raina is the Muse of…?’
‘Science.’ Hendra smiled weakly. ‘Technology mostly now. Once upon a time, she was only needed for things such as astronomy or what not but now, we are all fading beside her. And thanks to the ease at which the push of a button can now begin and end a war, less people are eager to reach for it and so...’ she motioned to herself. ‘Off I go.’
Calliope wondered what the Muse of Technology would be like and why she and Imogen even attempted to compete with her. ‘I am sorry for your…’
‘Obliteration?’ Hendra supplied. ‘It is okay. I imagine that some day soon, I will accept Josiah as my soul mate, and transfer my passion for my cause, to the pursuit of happiness.’
‘You have a soul mate too?’
‘We all do. It’s part of our deal.’
‘But you’re into yours? Ardos told me that I all but kick him away!’
Hendra giggled, and for a moment, she was more vibrant. Callie thought of Marnie’s older brother who was still in the Middle East on active duty, and made a note to herself not to encourage Hendra’s influence by making her laugh again. ‘Actually, I’ve seen you kick Ardos clear across the meadow several times…you, Imogen, Thespia, Renee and Raina chase your mates off like they are lice-ridden and suffering from the plague.’
‘Why?’ Calliope shook her head. ‘Ardos seems lovely.’
‘Yes, he’s perfect for you, in absolutely every way. But that is the exact reason why you reject him, Calliope. Simply put; you love music more than you desire love. Mate with Ardos and you’ll lose the gig to the kid you’ll have as a result.’
Callie didn’t know what to make of that! ‘What? How?’
‘Our soul mates are the gold retirement watch of destinies, and most of us want none of it- which is precisely why I’ve torn you from his side- looking out for you as you would for yourself if you had your memories- by getting you the hell away from Ardos before he can knock you up.’ Callie shrank away from Hendra’s passionate declaration, and her sister smiled quickly. ‘Don’t get me wrong: Ardos is a good man, but at the end of the day his existence is reliant on your presence. We were all given soul mates; as human men they were champions, almost as revered as the gods were in some cases. They were made immortal and delivered to us as gifts- only not one of us responded with gratitude, but fury. Fury that we were not given a choice. It took a millennia for Polyhymnia to succumb to her guilt and mate with Mycos, and though she is happy, we know that she misses being a Muse desperately.’
‘So you’re saying there’s little satisfaction in being a stay at home Muse?’ Callie couldn’t help but giggle.
But Hendra did not laugh this time. ‘There wouldn’t be for you. Which is why you need to leave now, complete your purpose and get your powers back before it’s too late.’
Callie blinked. ‘Is there some rush?’ She asked. ‘Some deadline?’
‘Only if you care about your protégé, and still desire to help him.’ When Callie stared at her blankly, Hendra rolled her dark eyes and went on: ‘Time passes here differently Callie, depending on the power of the Muse. Imogen can come and go as she pleases without missing a beat, as you once could and hopefully will again. And for me, the time on earth is crawling by as it is here. I am rushing to get you out of here because for me, it feels like you have been here for years. For you, a mortal- it feels like…?’
‘Two days?’ Callie guessed.
‘That sounds about right yes, two sunsets. But Callie… for every night you pass here, a year passes on earth.’ Hendra motioned to the horizon. ‘When that sun rises, you would have been missing for three years.’
Callie felt herself go cold all over. Then she remembered something Imogen had said about the boys having been investigated a while ago, but only a few seconds before for her. Callie had passed out after that, and been so wrapped up in Ardos since then, that she had not given it a second thought. But now her hand went to her throat. ‘My parents have been waiting to hear from me for three years?!’
Hendra nodded. ‘And your protege’s wheels have been spinning since. He has graduated, relocated from his parent’s home, and started pursuing vocations that are of not much good to him; I know this only because Imogen spied on him early last night.’
Callie began to feel panicked. ‘But what am I supposed to do? I don’t know anything about being a Muse! I can’t just show up out of thin air and say: “Hey guys, remember me? The girl who ran from the would-be orgy? Mind if we get the band started again?” They’d flip!’
‘I know that, I’m not saying you run back to them straight away- only that you get back to where time passes at a more manageable pace!’ She nodded to the thick clouds blanketing the mountains. ‘As for strategy, I can help with that. Stirring trouble, ensuring victories… kind of my thing.’ She winked. ‘For starters, you need to become glorious.’
‘Glorious?’ Callie rolled her eyes. ‘Gee can’t I just shoot for fabulous?’
‘The Calliope I know wouldn’t settle for less than glorious.’ Hendra simpered. ‘You don’t have your powers anymore, but songs have been written about human women too Calliope and you need to become one of them. You need to be the best version of yourself that you can be; prettier, more confident, sexier- successful and provocative… pursue a career, take a few years to come to terms with all of this.’ She smiled. ‘Then, once you’ve reached your human potential you need to return to Hunter, use your wiles to make him fall in love with you, and when he does-’ She smacked her fist into her palm. ‘Ditch him for the other one and then farewell them both, as harshly as you are able. It will break Hunter’s heart and unleash his potential, hopefully restoring your memories and your glory.’
Callie’s features mimicked the way her stomach twisted at the awful plan. ‘That sounds horrible!’
‘But effective- you cannot lose sight of the fact that Hunter needs you as a Muse Calliope, not a friend.’ The gleam of excitement caused by simply imagining conflict faded from Hendra’s eyes. ‘And then you can return and do whatever the hell you feel like and make your decision about Ardos and Oblivion and everything else with a clear head. But you have to leave now before Hunter and Ryan forget your name!’
‘I can’t believe Ardos kept the time thing from me!’ Callie bemoaned, glancing back over her shoulder to where Ardos still slept. She felt betrayed.
Hendra steered Callie towards the edge of the cliff. ‘Don’t be too hard on the poor guy- he’s trying to make you fall in love with him now, so that when your memories return, you will have the memory of having forged a bond with him to counteract millennia of you wanting to kill him. Any one of us would do the same thing, sister.’
Callie smoothed her skirt sadly. ‘I thought I could trust him.’
‘You can trust him to love you Calliope, but that’s it. And unfortunately, love brings out the worst in most people; Muse, Demigod or human.’ She sighed. ‘You were out of it when Clio searched through your mind and shared what she learnt of your human life with us. I’ve seen Ardos unhappy before but when he heard about what your friends had almost gotten you to do, he flew into a jealous rage, which is unusual. He knows that you’ve been with thousands of men before- ’
‘Thousands?’ Callie squeaked, feeling her face go hot.
‘Over thousands of years. It’s not so scandalous.’ Hendra chortled. ‘But it’s clear that this time around, you were about to give your heart away and that is a first. I do not blame Ardos for feeling hurt, or fearing that you will both end up in Oblivion over a guitarist who’s no Santana yet!’