Arrows and Roses - Chapter 18

When the night was over, Julian took the girls back home and Apollo returned to Olympus, leaving Thanatos with his brother to return home.

They entered the castle with somber moods and Persephone greeted them at the door.

“How did the night go? Was it successful? Hypnos, did you woo Amora?” She asked.

“No… Mother, it didn’t go well at all. Apollo stole our dates. Thanatos is courting Amora and I'm still here all. by. myself.” Hypnos answered, he ignored the jab in the ribs from his brother and their mother looked at them in disappointment.

“You boys need to step up your game.” She said, shaking her head.

“Gee, thanks mom.” Hypnos strode past her, up the grand staircase and into the east wing where his bedroom was.

“It went alright. But mom, Erosa thinks I’m courting Amora.” Thanatos explained.

Persephone looked at him with confused wide eyes.

“Why on earth would she think that?” She asked.

Thanatos took her arm and led her in the direction of the library.

“I have no idea. But Julian says I should go along with it.”

“That’s a terrible idea.”

“That’s what I said. But he’s a cupid. He knows these things better than anybody else would.” Thanatos shrugged, turning down the corridor past the regal paintings of his family.

Each painting stared down at him as he past and he couldn’t help but wonder why they still had them. They were just creepy. The eyes followed his every step almost scrutinising him.

“When are we going to take these paintings down?” He asked suddenly.

Persephone looked at them in disdain.

“Your father insists that we keep them. I do it to humor him. I’m thinking I might burn them one at a time and see how long it takes for him to notice.”

They arrived at the library without any further words and as Thanatos sat in his seat, Persephone spoke up.

“I know what the fates told you. But I think I have found a way to keep her down here with you alive.” She offered.

➳

After the night out, I spent the next few days, biding my time, both in misery and anticipation. I was looking forward to seeing him. Work had been constant and it didn’t feel like I was going to make headway anytime soon.

I summoned my mirror and tracked down where my brothers were.

I found them in a building in a city called Boston. Overlooking a beautiful park. I couldn’t tell which one though. I’m not good with names.

“Brothers.” I greeted.

The three of them turned and grinned at me. Cleo must be away on another assignment.

“Finally decided to come and learn from the big boys.” julian taunted. He sauntered over towards me with a smug grin on his face as he held up his sniper rifle.

“Big boys? I’m older than you by a century.” I raised an eyebrow at him and watched as his lips twitched. He hated it when I jabbed at his age.

“That doesn’t matter when your an immortal.” He sniffed.

He went back to prepping for the assignment, Alesandro and Klaus behind him were busy flicking through some paperwork.

I went over to the table, taking a seat in the wooden chair. I looked around at the room they were in. The walls were bare, no paintings, no patterns. A little table lay by the window and two small armchairs rested on either side, two stacks of files sat in the middle of the table which her brothers were rifling through. A bed had been pushed against a wall, covered in some of their ‘tools’ and she wanted to reach out and touch them. The floors were carpeted except for the bathroom for obvious reasons. But the positioning of the room, allowed a lot of natural light to flood in.

After a while I moved to sit quietly beside her brother Julian while he worked.

I crossed my ankles and waited patiently until he had some time to talk.

After what seemed like forever, I shifted again and he spoke up.

“Erosa it’s been an hour. Are you going to talk or just sit there?” He turned and looked at me expectantly, eyebrows raised.

“I was going to wait until you guys were finished.” I held up my hands and looked at him with wide eyes. Julian exhaled and sat down beside his gun.

“I might take a while. One of the humans is late. Whats up?” He faced me with an inquisitive expression as I fiddled idly with my hands.

“Have you ever been in love?” I blurted after a moment of silence.

Julian leaned back in surprise.

“Ahh… sure? Plenty of times. Why?” He moved to the window and looked through his binoculars.

“No, I meant, have you ever been in love?” I said again feeling the colour rising in my cheeks.

“Oh… I guess so. A few times, but all unrequited.” He looked over his shoulder at me with a lopsided grin.

“Do you think it’s nice?” I looked out the window in wonder as the question hung in the air. My brother picking up the hint.

“To love and be loved. Yeah, of course. We’ve seen it countless times. Erosa, what’s this about?” He turned to see me playing with the heart locket their grandmother had given each of them when they were born. She told us when we were older it would help safeguard our hearts. At the time we didn’t quite understand, but now, we were happy for it.

“Do you think we’ll ever find love?” I asked. The mood turned somber and my brothers looked at each other before Julian got up and walked over to me. He took my hand and squeezed it.

“I’m sure we will. But the life of a cupid is complicated. You know that.” He took my chin in his hands and made me meet his gaze. I tried to manage a smile and Julian’s own smile faltered.

Whatever his sister was feeling must’ve put a crack in his heart because he wrapped an arm around me, giving me some warmth.

“Just be patient.”

Bang! The two of us jumped and looked to the other side of the room where Klaus and Alesandro stood by the door, which had swung shut behind them. I didn’t even realise they had left.

“Chocolate helps.” Klaus pursed his lips and offered the chocolate bar to me.

“Thank you..” i tried to manage a smile but he didn’t look convinced, but for now he would leave it. I gestured over to the folders. He had work to do.

“Hey bro. It’s time.” They prompted.

Julian nodded and returned to his sniping position.

I shook my head at the extreme measures that they took.

“I don’t understand why you guys insist on using all… grenades? Really?” I held up a small glass heart and inspected it carefully.

Alesandro rushed forward and carefully took the heart out of my hands.

“Careful Rosa! You don’t mess with this. You can touch the grenades, but not this.” He put it back in the case as if it were a bomb and the slightest touch would set it off.

“What are they?” I peered over his shoulder at the heart. It shimmered in the light. The liquid inside it was like crystal and sparkled.

“These are emergency hearts. And to answer your question, grenades are vital to the mission.” He crossed his arms while Klaus nodded, coming to stand beside him.

“Is that so? Tell me, what would you use a grenade for?” I squinted at the two of them who looked at each other before answering in unison.

“That’s classified.”

I threw my hands up in exasperation.

“I’m your sister! We do the exact same job!” I argued.

“Yeah but you don’t do it like we do, remember? You use the old fashioned bows and arrows.” Julian pointed out.

“Exactly! Why go through all of this when there’s an easier method?” I gestured to my bow and arrows that rested against the wall by the closed door.

“Snipers ‘are’ easier! And more accurate thank you very much.” Alesandro interjected defensively.

“But you have to carry all this equipment!” I pointed to the rest of the room littered with their tools.

I realised the argument would never reach a conclusion so I stepped back and watched them complete the contract.

“500 metres, coming in fast.” Julian stated.

Alesandro aimed through his other gun and Klaus stood by the window, ready for his part in the mission.

I rolled my eyes before peeking through my own binoculars.

“200 metres.” Julian came again.

I could feel the intensity of the situation. The two mortals didn’t realise that they were about to meet the one they were destined for. This was the exciting part and the most stressful. If you hit them at the right moment, they fall in love with each other. Shoot too soon or too late and they end up falling in love with the wrong person. And then… a tonne of paperwork.

They were getting closer now. The two were jogging through the park and they were so close to seeing each other now. If they just went around the corner they would be in each other’s sights.

I didn’t dare look away. In my head, I was already analysing the best angle to shoot from, what part I was shooting at and then the fastest route down there to complete it.

BANG! Two shots rang out simultaneously and Klaus hurled himself from the window, holding a pink grenade. He unfurled his wings midfall, and glided in their direction to execute the final stage.

“I still don’t get it. Why not just let love take it’s natural course? Surely shooting them was enough.” I asked as my brothers high-fived.

I got up to help them pack and they smiled at me in appreciation.

“Oh sister, you overestimate our abilities. We’re flattered, really.” Alesandro put a hand over his heart and Julian just grinned widely.

“We just want to make sure they have a fighting chance. Sometimes, people fall in love but they don’t do a thing about it. Look at Hedone. She’s got her hands full guiding couples back into love. Everyone deserves love and-”

“-only so many receive it. I know the drill. I guess I just miss those days when it was easy.” I finished.

“When did love become to complicated? So many people fall out of love and get divorced, while others stray and hurt the ones they are meant to love. This world is breaking my heart.” I said sadly. I bit back the tears forming. My own frustration getting the better of me.

Julian stopped what he was doing and gave me a sympathetic smile.

“That's why we exist. Don’t cry little sister.” He stepped towards me and kissed the top of my head while Alesandro pulled the three of us into a hug.

“Aww! Why didn’t anyone tell me we were having a group hug! I want some of that!” Klaus came through the window and we all felt Klaus plow into us, weaving himself in so that he was somehow in the middle.

“Ahhh” he sighed, smiling in bliss.

“Don’t you just love Love?” He said, his voice muffled in Alesandro’s shirt.

We all laughed and hugged each other tighter, staying like that for a while.

➳

When we let go and finished packing. I decided to take a little detour and meet up with Lacey at Cafe before meeting them back at the temple.

I sat alone outside, at a table after texting her. It wasn’t long before a young woman with big brown bouncy curls strolled up to me in black combat boots, ripped jeans, a black sweater and a cupid’s tattoo on her neck.

“You still refuse to wear the colours?” I asked.

She smirked at me.

“I know it’s code and I know every workplace has one. But pink is not my colour.” She replied. She took a seat across from me and shrugged.

“You finished for the day?” I gestured to the black duffel bag she set down beside the chair.

“Yeah, two silver contracts and a gold.” She grinned triumphantly.

I beamed at her, Lacey was one of our best. She worked effectively and none could compare. She also held the temple record for fastest contract completion. One hour and 16 minutes.

“Wow, that's huge. Please tell me you’re going to let dad give you a promotion.” I waved over a waitress and ordered a mango smoothie for myself and a cappuccino for Lacey.

“What? And receive more work? Please babe. I don’t need that.” She scoffed.

“Yes, but there are perks to the promotion.” I grinned.

She snorted and leaned back in her chair. “No thank you. I have everything I need. I dont need anything else.” She patted the duffle bag and smiled in satisfaction.

“So what are you using these days then?” We rarely talked about work when we were together. One of our rules of friendship. But sometimes I liked to know how she fared.

“A crossbow. I have a few arrows left actually. It’s quick and convenient.” she nudged the bag with her foot and I nodded. I suppose crossbows were useful in my line of work.

Our drinks arrived and she took and appreciative sip.

I had just taken a sip of mine when she asked “How’s Thanatos?”

I nearly choked on my drink.

“What?” I sputtered much to her amusement.

“Sweet ambrosia woman. Get a grip. Everyone knows.” Lacey rolled her eyes and felt myself pale.

“Oh my gods. Are you serious?” I hid my face in my hands. As if that would hide the shame.

Lacey just snickered.

“No, just all the cupids including your father.” She replied.

I sunk deeper into my chair.

“My father knows?”

Lacey nodded.

“Your dad tried to set the two of you up a few times, like when Thanatos needed a cupid for a certain dying couple.” Lacey wiggled her eyebrows at me as I recalled the memory. I knew for a fact that my wings were bright pink.

“What?! He did that in purpose?!” I squeaked.

“Yeah, your mother was so annoyed. She was telling him off for interfering. Until he explained that you had a thing for Thanatos.” Lacey calmly sipped her coffee and I wanted to slap it out of her damn hands.

“My mother knows?!” I groaned. Could this get any worse?

I slumped in my chair and played with the straw of my mango smoothie. I wasn’t in the mood for my favourite drink anymore. I called the waitress over to get it in a takeaway cup and I looked back at my cousin.

“Ugh. what’s the point. It’s not like he will notice me in that way.” I said quietly.

I felt something hit my head and when I reached up and touched it. My fingers held a small piece of broccoli.

“Really?” I looked at Lacey with tired eyes but she frowned.

“You’re a daughter of Eros… For the love of-” She got up and grabbed a menu before hitting my repeatedly over the shoulder. “-Pull yourself together.” She said with each strike.

"Did you just 'Edna Mode' me?!" I looked incredulously.

The waitress came back with my takeaway, she gave Lacey an amused smile before walking away to tend to another customer.

“And pull myself together? He likes Amora! My sister!” I said.

Lacey sat back down and finished her drink.

“No he doesn’t.”

“Yes he does.”

“No he most definitely does not.” Lacey gave me another look. One that i didn’t for once understand. Was she going to hit me again? Goddamnit.

“You wanna know how I know? Because a man doesn’t take the sister of the woman he likes out on beginner dates and asks about you instead of the sister. Gods, you’re so thick. Are you sure you’re Eros’ daughter. I swear your adopted.” She fanned herself with the menu and I felt uncomfortable in my stomach.

“Maybe I am. But I asked him about the other night. He didn’t refute it.” I argued.

“Did you ever think that maybe he was just too nervous to say something. Like you honestly believe that Thanatos is the type of man to waltz up to a woman he fancies to tell her that he would like to date her? That’s Apollo! Honestly, you should never assume that a man is like another man.” Lacey got up and picked up her duffel bag before taking a step towards me.

“Come on. Let’s go to the temple. I’ve got a tonne of paperwork to catch up on.” She said.

I grabbed my drink and my purse and together we went around the corner to take off into the sky.

Now that she mentioned it. I did think Thanatos was one to subtly let a girl he liked her. But how subtle could one be about their feelings? If I used my cupid binoculars would that be cheating? Yes… but would anyone know about it? Probably not.

I made up my mind by the time we reached the temple. I was going to find out how Thanatos felt.