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His silence is not encouraging. Apparently, I have fallen on my face again for love.
Finally, Eros whispers, “Do you trust me?”
I love him, but do Itrusthim? Trust and love are two different things. He knows this better than anyone. And even if the arrow was the thing making me love him, it couldn’t make me trust him.
My mouth goes dry, and my pulse races. I feel several sets of eyes on us. It’s as if the spinning of the planet rests on my answer. Staring up into his golden eyes, I realize I trust no one as much as I do him. Even with his stupid bet, he thought he was just granting my heart’s desire. Little did he know, I was slowlyfalling for him. I couldn’t truly acknowledge it until now, but my heart is his.
However, I sense he’s asking about trust for the job as cupid. If I don’t he can’t gift the powers that come with it.
“I do,” I whisper.
Eros swoops down and captures my lips with his. Is he sealing the matchmaker contract with his kiss? Or is he telling me he feels something for me too?
Because it feels as if there is more than bestowing power behind this act for him.
A magical bond snap into place, and the bow tattoo on my back burns. I have accepted his godly powers. Am I his replacement? What happens to Eros now that I have them?
“She. Is.Mine,” Eros proclaims and pulls me to his side. His strong arm holds me close as he looks at the Fates and then glares at Hermes, Thanatos, and Hypnos. “I will be the love of her life now. And she is my chosen replacement as a god. The bet is fulfilled.”
A loud gong resonates throughout the cavern.
“Midnight,” the Fates say, and after a dramatic pause, they add, “Eros has won.”
Eros snaps his fingers to teleport us out, but we go nowhere.
“Not so fast.” Hypnos steps forward. “She’s now your successor and is free to go about her love god duties without fear of Hermes or Thanatos claiming rights to her. However, youwon, which means I’m obligated to send you to oblivion—the long, dreamless sleep. Sorry, brother.”
Hypnos actually looks disheartened, then he rushes forward, grabs Eros, and they vanish.
“What the hell?” I drop to my knees with the new blow, grief racking my entire being.
For a moment, I thought we were safe, but Eros is lost to me. I’m lost as well. My love for him slices my heart into tiny, irreparable pieces.
It’s Carl who shakes me out of my spiral. “Come, Dee, let’s get out of here. I’ll take you home.”
“You?” I gape at him. “You can travel in and out of the underworld?”
“Yes.” He narrows his eyes at Hermes, aka Mercy. “By his power.” Carl sets his jaw and glowers at Hermes. “You got a problem with that, Mercy?”
“Go. I don’t want her anymore.” Hermes turns up his nose in disgust and waves us off.
“Fuck you, malaka,” I mutter as Carl teleports us out of hell.
24
FATE
Carl doesn’t release me immediately after we teleport into our living room. I don’t want him touching me, but I’m not stable on my feet yet, emotionally or physically.
My heart aches for Cupid. Is he really lost to me forever?
A sob rips from my throat.
Carl holds me close in a crushing hug. “I’m so sorry I got you into this mess.”
“I can’t believe you kept this secret from me all this time,” I say when my sobs turn to hiccups.
“Me either,” Carl agrees. “It’s been the hardest part about working for him. Believe me though, until this week I didn’t know how obsessed Mercy had become with you… when he made me hurt you.”
