I stand there, in the Cupids Matchmaking Service combat room, and it feels like time has stopped. I can feel Cal and Crystal both looking at me, but my gaze is locked on Cupid's. There's an uncharacteristically serious look on his face - his jawline hard, and the muscles in his arms tensed. His skin is damp with sweat, and his black top clings to his hard torso.

"I..." I start.

His eyebrows furrow, almost imperceptibly, and a slight crease forms on his forehead. I can see the suspicion in his eyes and it makes my heart pump faster – cool adrenaline surging through my body. I feel almost lightheaded.

He thought I was hiding something earlier. And now, from my tense, awkward posture, and my inability to speak, he knows for sure.

Valentine. I've been hiding Valentine.

I've been hiding his serial killing, sadistic brother - who says my feelings for him brought back his even more sadistic mother.

The bright lights of the combat room beat down on my head and make my skin feel too hot.

"What is it?" says Cal sharply – clearly getting impatient at me standing there in the middle of the pink mats like I'm an actor with stage fright.

I swallow hard. My mouth is dry. Then I drag my gaze to Cal's – no longer able to look Cupid in the eye.

"I...I know who the soul is."

No-one moves.

"Who?" says Cupid.

I take a deep breath. "It's Venus."

Silence. Tension hangs heavy in the air; it curls around the pink and black archery targets, and weighs heavily down on the four of us. I don't move my gaze from Cal's – though I catch Cupid shift out of the corner of my eye, and can feel Crystal stand straighter beside me.

Cal's silvery eyes darken. "Is this some kind of joke, Lila?" I open my mouth to reply but he cuts across me. "Because that is not something to joke about. It's not amusing in the slightest. I'm disappointed that you would say such a thing. You should not..."

"It's not a joke, Cal," Irritation at his self-righteous monologue temporarily snaps me out of my speechlessness.

I turn to Cupid who is looking at me in utter confusion. Then I meet Crystal's strong gaze.

She almost imperceptibly arches her eyebrows – a non-verbal question.

I incline my head. Yes. It's true.

"How do you know?" she says.

"I...someone told me..."

"Who?"

A run a hand over my mouth – feeling the intensity of both Cupid and Cal's gazes.

Just say it. Just get it over with.

Valentine's low growl reverberates around my head. You can tell my brothers about me now. It may speed things up a bit.

I take a deep breath; the light scent of perspiration from Cupid and Cal's workout mingling with the cool air. I don't move my gaze from Crystal's face.

"Valentine," I say. "Valentine told me."

"What do you mean Valentine told you?!" Cal's voice is abrupt.

I ignore him. I ignore Cupid's gaze, hot and hard on my skin. I resolutely keep my focus on Crystal – I can't bear to look at either of the brothers right now.

Crystal doesn't move her gaze from my face. I can't tell what she's thinking.

"How?" she says.

"He...he's been visiting my dreams..."

Out of the corner of my eye I see Cupid exhale; and with it some of the tension leaves his body. "Lovebug...sounds like you've been eating too much cheese before bed..." amusement laces his tone.

Cal starts to move, reaching for a water bottle on the mats by his bare feet. "I thought something serious..."

Crystal holds my gaze. She puts a finger up – silencing them both. Cal straightens.

"Are you sure it wasn't just a nightmare, Lila?" she asks.

"I'm sure. I spoke to him."

"Crystal, you can't possibly think..." starts Cal.

"How can you tell it was real?"

"Mino saw him too," I say.

She says nothing - her expression unreadable. Then she curses under her breath.

"The Oneiri," she says quietly. I recognize the word.

"That's what Mino said."

"Wait. Are we actually saying this is true?" says Cupid.

Crystal turns to him. "It's not impossible. He – like countless other of our kind – is likely to go to the Underworld, rather than pass on to whatever else exists after death, isn't he?" she pauses. "And if he was in the Underworld he could – technically speaking – enter someone's dreams with the right help, couldn't he?" Crystal looks at me once more. "What exactly did he say to you?"

"He said a war was coming – between the gods. And that he had something in his possession that had the power to stop it, or something like that. And that Venus might want it too."

"And Valentine offered you this information because...?"

"Because....I asked him. I asked him to find out who the soul was." I pause. "Plus...well... he wants me to come to the Underworld to get him."

Silence falls. I turn my gaze to Cupid. The muscles in his arms are tight, and there's a dangerous look on his face. Cal at his side, is watching me – his posture straight and tense, lips pursed into a hard line. There's a glimmer of anger flickering in his silver eyes.

"I want this dealt with." Cupid's voice is low and quiet – a hint of threat behind it. 

"Mino might be able to do something – put some kind of lock in Lila's mind or something," says Crystal. "You say Mino already knows about this?" Something hardens in her tone.

My loyalty will always lie with those in the shadows.

"I...uh...he only just found out," I say quickly - realizing I may have just dropped him in it. "I told him I was coming here to tell you."

She releases a breath and nods.

"Venus can't be back," says Cal. "We'd know if she was."

"For once in my life, I agree with my brother. You may not have noticed but our mother is not exactly subtle," says Cupid.

"I said the same. But Valentine said that she hadn't regained her power yet."

Cupid shakes his head. "He's probably just bored. Death is probably pretty boring. He's causing trouble."

"He's not. He's telling the truth."

I meet Cupid's ocean eyes - they blaze into me, hot and searching.  "The guy's insane, Lila. I mean seriously deranged."

"I trust him," I say. "He's telling the truth."

Cupid's eyebrows furrow, and his eyes darken. "What do you mean you trust him?!" There's a rawness to his tone.

"I...it's just...he's never lied to me."

Confusion flickers across his face. There's a hint of anger in the tension of his jaw.

"He tried to kill you, Lila," he says slowly.

No. He didn't.

I don't say anything.

"This can't be happening." My eyes shift to Cal - whose face has drained of color. 

"Maybe it can..." says Crystal. "Think about it – what other soul would be important enough to raise the god of the dead? And why else would the Furies think the Cupids Matchmaking Service had it? Venus is our original Founder, after all."

Silence falls again. Tension radiates between the four of us.

Then Crystal springs into action. "OK. It's worth exploring. We have nine hours until the Furies come back. I'm temporarily stopping all Matchmaking assignments. If Venus is back she'll be gaining power from them. We're not harboring her, but someone is. Let's see what we can find."

Crystal starts to move towards the door. "I'll check the surveillance around Malibu beach," says Cal, moving into step beside her. The two fall into intense conversation as they exit the room, not sparing us a backwards glance.

Cupid and I are left alone. I turn to him.

He's looking at me like he doesn't even know me, and I hate it. The silence between us is crushing. The ten feet or so between us feels like miles. He rubs his mouth.

"You said you asked Valentine to find out who the soul was?" he says.

I nod.

"And then - after you asked him - he went and found out. And he relayed this information back to you?"

"Yeah..." My voice is quiet.

"When exactly did you speak to my brother?"

"Just now...before I came here..."

His usually warm gaze is cold. His eyes are hard, and dark.

"Let me rephrase that, Lila. When was the first time you spoke to my brother?"