I blink.

My cheek is pressed flat against a tiled checkered floor. It's cold. Smooth. Comforting against my pounding head.

. . . I have found a way, my love

. . .they must pay. All of them. Gods. Humanity. . .

. . . I will bring the darkness.

I will bring the darkness.

I groan. I bring my arms up to my face. I try to block out the thoughts.

Then I hear a grunt.

With an extreme amount of effort I push myself up – resting on my forearms, stomach still flat on the ground. I'm back in Valentine's bedroom – the box closed in front of me. To my left Valentine is stirring – his big body tangled in his white sheets.

"Welcome back." A deep voice sounds from my other side.

I flinch then turn slowly. Mino is laid on Valentine's bed, hands behind his head, propped against the wooden headboard.

"Make yourself comfortable." A rough voice sounds from behind me.

"I always do, old friend," says Mino.

I twist around, bringing my body into a sitting position and shuffling so my back rests against the box. I brush my hair out of my eyes, sucking in deep breaths to fight a strong wave of nausea.

. . .I have found a way, my love. . .

Mino watches Valentine as he stands – dark eyes momentarily appraising his bare chest. Valentine nods at something on the other side of the bed and slowly Mino reaches down. Moments later he throws Valentine's pale blue shirt across the room. Valentine swipes it from the air and slips it on – letting it hang open from his body.

Mino turns his attention back to me. "You got to the center of the labyrinth, I presume?"

"Yes."

"And?"

I rub circles on my temple with my thumbs.

"Psyche's heart was at the center," I say. "I'm Psyche re-incarnated." I exhale. "Apparently."

"Oh." says Mino. "Unlucky, my friend." He slowly pushes himself upright and swings his legs onto the ground – eyes appraising my face. "Although I have to say, I did wonder."

"I take it you agree to my plan, Lila?" says Valentine – the strange way he says my name finally making sense to me. He does not think that is my real name. I turn my attention back to him – my head feeling like it's made of metal. He is slowly doing up the buttons of his shirt, eyes fixed on my face. "That is why you woke us both up?"

"I . . . I didn't even know I'd done that," I say.

"We have to go now if we're to do it," he says. "Crystal may have secured passage on a morning ferry. But the ferry for the army of the dead is scheduled to leave tonight."

Leaving the top few buttons of his shirt undone, he deliberately rolls up his sleeves. Then he steps towards me and extends a hand. I stare at it – heart pounding, thoughts raging in my mind. I can smell him – perspiration and the ocean.

He smelt like citrus once; of summer and lemons as a younger sun shone past temple columns and a warm breeze rippled his white linen shirt.

"Lila, what is it?" His forehead crumples and I realize I'm gawping at him.

I blink and shake my head.

I don't take his hand. But I push myself to my feet.

"Plan?" says Mino.

"Valentine wants to lead the fight against the Cupids Matchmaking Service so we can get the box to Venus," I say quietly.

"On doing so Lila will win favor with Jupiter, king of the gods," says Valentine. "And she'll be given the power to . . . suppress the side of her that opening the box has released."

"Crystal -" starts Mino.

"Crystal is no longer the CEO of the Cupids Matchmaking Service now the founder is back."

"All the same – she will never agree to this. She is planning to bring Venus back to the Underworld, not raise an army into the world of the living," says Mino – placing his hands on his knees. "It will start a war. And a war of that magnitude could raise more than the God of the Dead. . . "

"That's why we're going now," says Valentine. "Without her, or the others." He starts to move towards the door. "Are you coming?"

Mino stares at him – eyes studious. Then he shrugs his heavy shoulders and rises to his full height. "I never did care too much for the Cupids Matchmaking Service."

A smile spreads across Valentine's face. "Excellent. Lila?"

I hesitate – suppressing a groan as the noise in my head increases in volume. My head pounds. My heart hurts.

How can I know what is the right thing to do? How do I know that once I deliver the box this favor with the gods, this power I'm supposed to be granted, won't make me want to accept the heart?

Isn't that why Valentine wanted me to deliver it before I opened it? Is that the real reason why he wants me to do it now? Is he still playing with me?

I don't trust him.

Yet as his electric blue eyes hold mine something stills inside me. Just for a moment.

"Don't you want to be powerful, Lila?" he says. "Don't you want to fight those that imprisoned you when you were matched with Cupid? Don't you want to face Venus and know that you can win?"

"Yes."

Valentine's smile broadens. "Then I believe we have a ferry to catch."

I turn and pick up the box. Mino and I follow him out into the corridor.

***

We were not stopped as we crept out of Morpheus's sleeping castle. We encountered no-one as we crossed the desolate Underworld landscape where buildings crumble into shadow and walls are covered with unpleasant graffiti defying the living.

But now the rumbling sound of footsteps fills the air as Valentine, Mino, and I stand on the edge of the pier – looking out onto the gloomy waters of the Styx. I hold the box to my chest, tightly, as though it is an extension of me.

I suppose it is. In a way.

In the distance a boat with black sails and a skulled helm gets closer.

So many emotions twist in my stomach that they are distinguishable only as cold adrenaline. I think there is regret in there, somewhere, though. I should have told Cupid where I was going. Even if he would have tried to stop me.

Maybe I need to be stopped.

I glance up at Mino who has a bored expression on his face. I wonder if he could reach Cupid, Cal, and Crystal from here. I wonder if he could enter their minds' labyrinths. 

"Valentine." A cold female voice sounds behind us and we turn. The three Furies walk purposefully towards us – their combat boots clicking against the white bone pier. "I've a good mind to flay you alive after our last meeting. I would so love to play with your innards."

"As fun as that would no doubt be, Megaera, I think your boss would disapprove."

"So I hear," says Meg. "Apparently Morpheus brokered a deal on your behalf."

Valentine inclines his head, dimples punctuating his smile. "It appears, for now, we fight on the same side."

"It appears so." Meg's lips, painted black, turn down in the corners before her dark eyes slide over the three of us. They rest on mine – something searching behind them. "You are not who you seem."

"She is Psyche," says Valentine. I glare up at him. "In a way," he adds.

Tis, stood beside her, smooths her blonde ponytail – eyes on mine and a grin curling on her face. She steps forwards, uncomfortably close, and touches my cheek. "I knew I recognized you. Your soul - I see it in you - old and dark and beautiful. Welcome back."

I shove her - slamming the box into her chest as something cold rests in the pit of my stomach. This woman tied me to a chair and force fed me water that made my insides scream. "Touch me again and you'll wish you hadn't."

The voice that comes out my mouth is full of menace, and I almost don't sound like me. A flicker of wariness crosses over her features and she takes a small step back. But her eyes are full of intrigue. Ali, the Fury with short red hair, looks between us with a sour expression on her sharp face – then brings her attention to the river as a shadow swallows us.

I look over my shoulder as the Ferry of the Dead docks– and a black wooden ramp lowers down onto the pier.

"Where is the army?" says Valentine.

"In the courthouse," says Meg. "We'll get them on board."

Valentine grins. "Excellent." He turns to me and Mino. "Well? Shall we?"

Mino gestures at the ramp leading and meets my eye. "After you, my friend."

I take a deep breath, and board the Ferry of the Dead.

A U T H O R . N O T E 

Hi guys!

Quick note about Psyche's Heart updates -

I need to finish this book this month - which is good news for you because it means I'll be updating quickly! 

However - in order to do this - you may get a mixture of normal length chapters, and sometimes what read more as short scenes. I find it quicker to write this way :) 

I briefly considered writing it offline and then posting when I'm done, but you've been with me throughout the whole Cupid's Match writing process and I like having you all along for the journey with me! So I really don't want to do that!

BUT I recognize the inconsistency can be a bit annoying so this is just a heads-up to let you know this may happen for the next week or so! 

On the positive side - you WILL be getting more updates than usual :D

Also - a huge thank you to everyone who entered the Cupid's Match one-shot contest! They're all saved in a reading list on my profile (click here---> LEPalphreyman) if you'd like to check them out! And I hope you do - both to entertain yourselves with the incredibly creative scenarios the cupids get themselves into! And to support each other :)

They're all AMAZING and i had so much fun reading them!

And CONGRATULATIONS to the three winners!

Hope you all have a lovely day!

Lots and lots of love,

Lauren

xxx