The Fate of the Muse - By Derrolyn Anderson Page 0,43

know,” he said, his eyes darting behind me. I turned to see Boris standing back a little ways, his arms folded across his chest. I lunged for Ethan’s lips again in desperation, as if I could somehow stave off the inevitable.

“Marina,” A deep voice called out, “It’s time.”

I sighed, and we pressed our heads together through the fence before I pulled away to reluctantly return to the plane. I trailed along behind Boris, looking back a couple of times to see Ethan standing still, watching me leave again.

Boris climbed in the plane after me and secured the door, taking a seat in the front as I looked around. There was a long couch with pillows and throws on one side, with a table separating a couple of comfortable looking recliner chairs covered in soft white leather. A bar sat at one end, backed up by a wall paneled in richly grained wood. It looked more like a fancy cocktail lounge than a plane. I could hear Evie’s voice in the cockpit, discussing some detail about our itinerary with the pilots.

I took a seat next to Shayla, and she swiveled to face me, grinning like she’d just won the lottery, “It still has that new plane smell,” she said.

I smiled wanly, craning my neck to see if Ethan’s truck was still there.

“Man, he must have really hauled ass to get here in time,” Shayla nodded.

“I suppose,” I said quietly.

“C’mon, don’t be bummed! We’re going to Paris! Ethan will be fine without you for a week!”

I nodded, thinking that wasn’t really the problem. I knew that he’d be busy with work. The election was coming up, and Abby was planning a massive get-out-the-vote drive. She was turning into a real task-master, and Dutch and Ethan would definitely be put to work.

I imagined Amber showing up to see him at the farmer’s market; I pictured how she would stalk him when I wasn’t around and squeezed my eyes shut tight. I was so tired of fighting it. My leaving right now was probably the safest thing for everyone involved. The way I was feeling, I knew he would be better off alone.

The problem was, I was afraid, and he wasn’t going to be around to calm me down.

The problem was, I wasn’t sure I could get by without him.

CHAPTER TEN

PARIS

We were moving, crashing through some bushes. I could hear the sound of twigs snapping underfoot and the heavy breathing of the man who was carrying me. Leaves brushed against my arms, and I struggled to lift my eyelids, but all I could see was a blur of green. I felt a flood of relief, followed by confusion. I fought to regain consciousness, recoiling inwardly at the heat and stench. Where was he taking me?

I woke up, disoriented.

“It’s about time!” Shayla laughed, “You’ve been sleeping almost the whole way!”

I propped myself up on my elbows to find I was sprawled out on the couch with a cashmere throw covering me.

“What time is it?” I croaked.

“California time… or Paris time?” Evie asked, and I sat up to see her reclining majestically in a dressing gown, a cup of tea in her hand, a French Vogue magazine on her lap.

“We’re landing in fifteen minutes!” Shayla squeaked excitedly, “Get up and come see it with me!”

I stood and stretched, strange dream put aside, feeling much better after my long rest. I took the seat next to Shayla, watching as she pressed her face against the window. There was nothing but a blanket of white clouds to see, but the slight angle of the plane and the pressure in my ears told me that we were descending.

“Buckle up, girls,” Evie said, just as we entered into the bright white lightness.

“We’re like, in a cloud,” Shayla said, awestruck.

We cleared the overcast, and the landscape below was unveiled. Waterways rambled across the countryside, contrasting with the geometric shapes of farm fields painted in different shades of brown on a palette of green. As we drew closer, roads, buildings, and finally cars began to reveal themselves.

Shayla turned to me with bright eyes, “It looks like a bunch of dollhouses and toy cars!”

Evie smiled with pleasure as she watched Shayla, and caught my eye, reminding me of the real reason for our trip.

“You must be hungry,” she said.

“I am,” I realized.

“Well,” Evie closed her magazine, sitting up in her chair in anticipation, “We’ve certainly come to the right place.”

After a smooth landing we taxied to a stop at another private section of