Cupid’s Match

I spot the CuBots immediately when we burst into the square. There are six standing by the fountain—three guys and three girls. They could almost pass as real, but there’s something not quite right about them. As they simultaneously turn to look at us I realize why. Their eyes are completely black.

“Whoa, creepy,” I whisper.

One of them, a blond, shoots the first arrow. Cal reaches for his quiver, while Cupid pulls me out of the arrow’s path before grabbing his own weapon. Seconds later, two black arrows fly toward the enemies in the center.

One of them hits its target and the victim falls into the pool of water.

The other misses.

The five remaining CuBots sprint toward us. After giving me a quick look, Cupid runs to meet them. He grabs a redheaded male by the throat and throws him down to the ground, stabbing his chest with the bow.

Beside me, Cal fires another arrow, bringing down another target. He draws another arrow, but the next CuBot is too fast; he tackles Cal to the ground as one of the final two agents, a girl with a long white braid and hollow black eyes, starts toward me.

My heartbeat begins to quicken. I raise my bow.

“It’s not real,” I mutter to myself. “It’s not real.”

Except it is real; if I get hurt the pain will be real.

I aim the arrow, the fletching tickling my cheek. Then I release.

It flies wildly over the agent’s head and sinks into the wall of the bus shelter. Now only inches away from me, the CuBot raises an arrow, but I thrust my bow up into her face and send her reeling backward. I throw the bow aside—I don’t know how to use it and it’s slowing me down—and grab another arrow. I’m about to thrust it into her when the CuBot crumples to the ground. Behind her is a grinning Cupid, his bow raised.

“You’re welcome!”

I nod in thanks but can’t help feeling a pang of disappointment. I could have dealt with her.

There’s grunting behind me and I spin around. Cal and one of the creepy-looking guys are still grappling on the floor. The CuBot is on top, hitting Cal’s head repeatedly against the cobbled stone. A streak of blood snakes through his pale blond hair. Adrenaline surges through my veins and suddenly the excitement is mixed with panic. I need to do something.

I still have the arrow from before in hand. With all the strength I can muster, I thrust it into the back of the enemy. He cries out as the arrow turns to ash between my fingers. It’s a Capax, not one of the deadly black arrows, but it serves as enough of a distraction for Cal to throw him off.

I glance to my left as Cupid plunges a black arrow into the heart of the blond male he now has pinned to the ground by the flower shop. He looks as though he is enjoying himself. As he gets up off the floor he brushes his hands together, the ash sprinkling the cobbled stone.

“Lila!” Cal yells, lurching to his feet.

I turn just in time to see the dark-haired agent loading an Ardor just a few feet away. She points it at me and my breath catches in my throat. Then she shoots.

It almost happens in slow motion: the gold-and-red arrow coming toward me, the panic, the anticipation of immense pain, and then Cal. He hurls himself in my path, the torture arrow sinking deep into his shoulder. An unearthly scream escapes from his mouth as he falls to the floor.

As Cupid rushes forward to plunge a black arrow into the shooter’s chest, I rush over to Cal, who is writhing in agony, his pale features flushed, his eyes watering.

This was the fate in store for me.

I grab his arms. “Cal! Cal—take the chip out!”

He ignores me, his body convulsing. “Cal!”

His unseeing eyes finally find me and I can see him struggling to focus on my face. “You’re okay,” he says.

Then his eyes close and he slips into unconsciousness.

“Cal!” I grab his shoulders and shake him. “Cal, wake up!”

Cupid approaches. He brushes his hands against his jeans, wiping the last of the ash on the denim. As he crouches on the cobblestone, he rolls his eyes.

“My brother, ever the dramatic one.”

I look up at Cupid, my heart racing with worry. “Is he going to be okay?” I ask. “What do we do?”

“He’ll be fine, he’s a trained agent—this shouldn’t traumatize him too much.” He sighs. “Unlike what I’m about to do, which I think will give me nightmares for years to come.”

Cupid grabs Cal’s head and Cal’s eyes spring open, wide and fearful. His body begins to convulse again and he grunts in pain.

“Hold him down.”

I pin Cal’s arms to the ground as Cupid pushes his brother’s head to the side so his cheek is flattened against the stones. He looks into Cal’s ear, a disgusted expression on his face. Then, in a sudden movement, he plucks out the small microchip. Cal stops struggling, and exhales in relief. He rolls onto his back, looking marginally embarrassed.

Cupid flicks the chip at Cal’s chest. “There’s brother bonding,” he says, “and then there’s just being downright gross. Lila—you can take your chip out now.”

As he stands up and puts his hand to his ear, I pull out the alien object from my own. Instantly, I’m back in Cupid’s combat training room, crouched near the dark-pink mats. Cal has got to his feet and stands rigidly nearby, brushing himself down.

I stand up. “Are you okay, Cal?”

“I’m fine,” he snaps.

“Thank you—for saving me.”

His cheeks flush and he looks at the ground. “Yeah, well . . . I didn’t think you could handle it.”

Cupid comes over to pat his brother on the back—much to Cal’s evident annoyance—then looks at me and grins.

“Not bad for your first attempt. Now, let’s go again.”

I spend the afternoon with Cupid and Cal in the training room. We go through the Sim three more times, and Cupid shows me how to use a bow and arrow. I shoot one of the CuBots on my third attempt and experience a surge of exhilaration like nothing I’ve felt before.

By the time we’re done, I’m exhausted, and can do little more than sit on one of the kitchen stools nursing another cup of coffee. Even though nothing in the Sim was real, my body aches. The rich evening light shines through the glass front of the house and makes the array of arrows scattered across the breakfast bar sparkle. I watch as the brothers examine them.

They both changed after training. Cupid now wears a white V-neck T-shirt under his leather jacket and Cal has on a maroon sweater with a gray collared button-down peeking out beneath. Both have a bow slung over one shoulder. Cupid selects a Capax from the counter.

“I think we should take some of these,” he says. “Aim to capture one of the Arrows and get them to talk. See what they know about Lila and anything they’ve found out about the Finis.”

Cal gives a sharp nod—after the incident with the Ardor he’s been even more abrupt than usual. He seems about to say something when his phone buzzes; he looks down and purses his lips.

“Crystal,” he mutters, pressing the Ignore button and stuffing the phone back into his pocket. I feel a stab of anger as I wonder if she is calling Cal about her assignment, aka matching my boyfriend. Cal interrupts my thoughts.

“We’ll drop Lila off at home on the way.”

I hesitate for a moment. “I was thinking of going around to Charlie’s.”

“Awkward,” says Cupid, pulling a face.

“That could work,” says Cal. “It’s probably best that you’re not alone.”

For a moment I feel a stab of guilt at our plan to follow the brothers to the square. I’ve had fun today—shooting arrows, fighting pretend cupids, and getting to know them both a little better.

Still, though, there’s something they’re not telling me. And that’s putting my life, and the lives of the other residents of Forever Falls, in danger. I want to know what’s going on.