Cupid’s Match

“He wants me to come live with him in his little fantasy world,” Crystal says, rolling her eyes. “But it’s not happening.” She turns back to the Minotaur. “Sorry, love, but there are things up there in the real world that require my immediate attention. Things that we could use your help addressing.”

With that, she grabs my arm and leads me up the steps to stand by the exit.

“Now, are you two coming or what?”

Before either of the men can reply, Crystal pulls me through the doorway.

My eyes fly open.

I’m back in the claustrophobic cell, my knees touching the rotting wooden door. I feel dizzy. My skin is damp and Cal’s hooded sweater is still wrapped around my body. There’s a cold buzzing in my ear, and I hurriedly pull out the small microchip that sent me into the Sim.

I’d expected Venus’s dungeons to be alive with the sounds of Myths waking up, but it is as silent as before. I look through the small barred window to find Cal sitting rigidly on a wooden stool, watching me.

Then the door to my right bursts open and Crystal walks out of her cell. Her hair is matted and her white suit is stained a murky brown.

Cupid’s face appears at the other side of the barred window next. He opens my cell door, and when he holds his hand out for me, I take it, letting him pull me to my feet. As we stand almost nose to nose, his eyes blaze into mine. For a moment we are caught in each other’s gaze, somewhere far away from the murky dungeon and impending danger.

“Have any of the Myths woken up yet?” Crystal asks, jolting me back to reality.

“Charlie and Selena are awake. The others are starting to show signs. It may take them a little longer. They’ve been in their Sims for years.”

I feel a wave of relief that Charlie is okay.

“Listen,” Cal says, looking worried. “Cupids have started to arrive from the other branches. Venus has called them all here for the big trial. There’ll be more to fight than I had hoped.”

Cupid frowns. “Have you managed to get any on our side?”

“A few but not many. They’re too afraid to go against Venus.” Nervousness flickers across his pale face. “Look, that’s not the worst thing,” he says. “The trial . . . She wanted to get to it right away. The Commander will be coming for you any minute now.”

I feel my stomach plummet. I thought we’d have more time to prepare.

“The Myths aren’t even awake yet,” Cupid groans.

Crystal looks concerned too. “I thought we’d have more time. Listen, Cal, there’s something I should tell you.”

Suddenly Cal shushes us. We stand in silence a moment, and then I understand. All around us come the sounds of rustling and murmuring—quietly at first but then with increasing vigor. Down the dark corridors, doors creak open. There is laughter close by. I hear the breaking of rotting wood and footsteps against the muddy ground.

Cupid’s face suddenly brightens.

“Looks like our army is arriving.”