Chapter 18

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I walk through the open plan office space of the Cupids Matchmaking Service. My body feels numb. The chatter around me is muffled, the movement a distorted blur. I feel like I'm wading through rising water.

Did me and Cupid just break up? Did I almost pierce myself with the black arrow? Is Venus really back? Can Valentine be trusted?

It's not until I step into the bright lights of the reception that I realize that Cal is striding by my side - eyes fixed ahead - oblivious to the fact I haven't even noticed he's there.

"Um...hi?" I say.

He snaps his head toward me. He's changed into jeans and a gray turtleneck - and his hair is a little ruffled, like he's just showered and towel dried it.

"Hi."

We reach the glass door. "Going somewhere?"

"Yes. You?"

I roll my eyes as he opens the doors, tinkling the bel. I follow him onto the sidewalk, stopping outside the boutique like front. "Well, yes. Obviously. I meant where are you going?"

He stops too. "Oh. Just grabbing a bite to eat."

I wait for him to ask me what I'm up to. In standard Cal fashion, he doesn't.

"I'm going to the Love Shack to meet Charlie, in case you're wondering. She said she was with some cupids from another branch."

His eyebrows furrow. "Another branch?"

"Yeh."

A flicker of confusion crosses his face. "Crystal never mentioned anything."

"Oh..."

He nods sharply. "I could get food there. I'll come with you."

There's a somewhat awkward silence. It's not that I don't want him to come along. It's just I don't really want to talk about the whole Cupid situation right now. Not to him. And I especially don't want him to find out that I almost pierced myself with an arrow.

But then I suppose the alternative would be me, alone and feeling sorry for myself in the car.

"I...uh...OK." I pause. "Want a ride?"

He looks at me, narrowing his eyes as the sunlight beats down on us. "From you?!"

"Yes, from me! I got a car for my birthday and I'm heading there now." He says nothing - just stares at me. "No need to look so appalled by the idea."

He pauses. Then shrugs rigidly. "OK."

"Come on then..."

I lead him to the parking lot.

***

As I drive down the freeway, Cal sits tensely in the passenger seat - eyes alert, body rigid. He doesn't speak and silence hangs heavily around us - permeated only by his sharp intakes of breath every time I change lanes.

"Cal, can you relax, please," I snap. "You're making me nervous."

"I'm making you nervous?!"

My growing irritation at him at least distracts me from things I'm trying not to think about. Like Cupid. And Valentine. And Venus.

Cal throws me a sideways glance. "Do you even have a driving license?"

"Yes, I have a license!"

We fall into silence again. It allows Cupid's voice to resound, clear, around my mind.

I can't be around you right now.

You either come with me to Mino's now and sever this connection with Valentine. Or I'm out.

I take a deep breath. I don't know how to fix this. I feel eyes burning into me and I glance at Cal. As our gazes catch, he looks straight ahead again.

"Cupid gave you a hard time, I take it."

I sigh.

"Yeah. You could say that."

He doesn't say anything. The awkward silence needs filling. "He wants to get Mino to put some kind of block in my mind," I say hurriedly. "So Valentine can't speak to me."

"That sounds sensible."

I feel a surge of agitation that Cal, of all people, is on Cupid's side.

"But what about this war? What if we need to speak to him?"

"We'll find another way."

I sigh. "That's what Cupid said."

Silence hangs heavily in the air as I steer the old car off the freeway and on the road to Forever Falls.

"Cupid and Valentine..." Cal starts. I turn to look at him. "They have a... history. Cupid will never see things clearly when it comes to him."

"Because of Psyche?"

"Yes."

I look at him. Wait for him to elaborate.

"Cal..." I say. "Please. Cupid won't talk about her. Tell me what happened."

He exhales.

"Cupid blames Valentine for Psyche's death. Valentine blames Cupid for taking her from him. Only..." he trails off.

"What?"

Cal shrugs rigidly. "I don't think Cupid ever really did...take her from him, I mean. Her heart always belonged to Valentine."

"Why does Cupid blame Valentine for Psyche's death?"

"Valentine had a...theory." He shakes his head. "He believed Psyche would grow to become the next coming of Venus - as powerful as the gods; maybe even more so. He believed that to reach this godlike state, she had to prove herself to the existing gods."

"How?"

"He persuaded our mother to take her on as an assistant of sorts. And she did - to punish her, hurt her. Psyche was put through a number of ridiculous trials. And the gods watched."

"And...?"

Cal shakes his head.

"The last trial...well, she didn't pass."

"She died."

"Yes."

He falls into silence, the air in the car somber. We reach Forever Falls and I park the car in the parking lot by the cobbled square. We get out and head to the alleyway leading to the Love Shack.

As we pass the tired fountain I glance at Cal.

"How did she die? What was the task?"

We reach the florists on the corner of the alleyway - the sickly sweet scent of flowers permeates the warm air.

"My understanding is that she was supposed to fill a box with beauty from the Queen of the Underworld and bring it to our mother. But she opened the box. And whatever was inside it, killed her."

I feel a jolt of cold adrenaline surge through my veins. "A box?"

The cobwebbed, metal crate that Valentine hauled onto the canteen table in our first dream meeting flashes in my mind.

What is it?

A box.

Cal looks at me. "Yes." He furrows his pale brows. "Why?"

"Valentine." I say. "Valentine has a box..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. He showed -" I'm forced to stop talking as Eric, the guy on the door of the Love Shack waves us over. Cal breathes irritably out of his nose as I make small talk with him about dad and our hands are stamped.

As soon as we head inside the dark entry corridor - I turn back to him.

"Yes. He showed me in the dream," I say quietly. "I think the box was the item he was saying could end this war. Or whatever was in the box, anyway. I think that's what he was saying could give Venus her power back."

"Did he say what was inside it?"

Valentine's low voice resounds around my head over the Justin Bieber song blazing through the double doors of the main bar.

What's inside the box?

Come get me and you'll find out.

I shake my head. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm not sure. It doesn't make sense." He exhales. "It could be nothing. A trick. A different box. But it's worth looking into. I'll do some research." He pauses. A hand on the doors to the main bar. "You shouldn't speak with him, Lila. He's dangerous. Cupid is right." He doesn't look at me. "If Valentine was asked about the box that killed Psyche...well, he loved her. His reaction would give him away."

I stare at Cal. His lips are hardened into a thin line, and there is conflict written all over the angles of his face. He knows he can't stop me from speaking to Valentine. He's giving me information to help.

He exhales again, turning his head to look at me. His silver eyes blaze as they lock onto mine.

"Be careful, Lila. You're playing with fire."

He pushes the door open into the main bar and heads inside.

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