by SC Alban
“What the heck?” I said as I leaned down and grabbed yet another arrow from the pouch. I shot him a questioning glance.
The tricky cupid smiled.
“Oh, that,” he said. “I kinda enchanted the quiver to never run out until you hit the mark five consecutive times.”
“What?”
“And you’d better get a move on, because I also charmed the area to hold us in this space until the task is complete.” He looked up at the sky. “And by the looks of it, snow’s coming. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not be out here when it hits.”
Of course I’d be stuck out here with him. Stupid cupid. I should’ve known.
The sun was setting low in the sky when I finally hit all five arrows. My fingers were red, tiny blisters were already forming under the skin at their tips, and my shoulder muscles ached.
“Oh, thank God,” I cried falling on my knees, tears welling in my eyes. “I must have shot a thousand arrows.”
“Three hundred and eleven, actually, but who’s counting?” he said, sitting next to me and crossing his legs. He had removed his shoes and dug a hole in the snow with his bare feet.
“Aren’t you cold?” I asked as I shifted onto my bottom, legs crisscrossed, massaging my hands, silently thanking the universe I didn’t have to shoot a three hundred and twelfth one.
“Not really,” he said offhandedly. “You know, a cupid is able to regulate body temperature according to his or her surroundings.”
“Really?” I propped my elbow on my knee and rested my head in one hand. “What’s it like in your realm? You know everything about Earth and us humans, but I know very little about cupids, and absolutely nothing about your home.”
He blinked a few times, appearing surprised.
“Gosh, I’ve been working on this planet for centuries, and I’ve never, not once, been asked that question. Of course, no one’s ever hit me with their car before either, so…”
I sat upright. “Seriously?”
“All right, all right.” He held his hands up in surrender. “Well, where should I begin?”
“What’s the Emotion Realm like? Like where do you live? What’s your life like when you’re not working?”
“I suppose the best way to describe it is that it’s very similar to your life here.”
I scrunched my brow trying to picture a magical version of Mountain Valley. How…disappointing.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“What I mean is we cupids live by a similar social structure…without all the nonsense you humans create, of course.”
“Of course,” I said with a smile.
“Let’s see….” He tossed his head back, his eyes dancing across the sky as he tapped his temple. “I have a dwelling, like you. I have a family, like you. I also have hobbies and areas of interest, like you. I pretty much have what you would look at here as an average life.”
I opened and closed my mouth several times, not knowing how to respond. My face must’ve shown my confusion.
“Okay, let’s try this again,” he said. “The Realm is divided up into three levels and fourteen districts. The outer level holds seven districts and is designed in a circular pattern. These districts are in charge of smaller, more minor love relationships such as a love of sports, love of hobbies, love of things, etcetera. Cupids trained in these areas are assigned to live in the outer district.
“It’s also more…pastoral, if you will. There’s more space out there. It’s kind of like what you would call the country here on Earth, except all the various forms of countryside are right next to each other. For example, the grassland is right next to the woodland, which is next to the rolling hills, which is next to the bayou. And right now, the realm is real big on mirroring your National Parks, so there’s this place that looks like Yellowstone, complete with a recreation of Old Faithful. It’s all the rage.”
“Wow.”
“Now, there are six districts in the inner level. Here, the more volatile, hard to pin down, major scale love issues dealing with human beings mostly, such as falling in love, love of self, love of other people…things like that, are dealt with. If I were to describe its appearance, I would say it’s kind of like what you call the suburbs. There’s more action, for sure, with shops and schools and such, but the dwellings are in neighborhoods with yards and parks nearby. That’s where I live. My house has a front and backyard with a white picket fence with little hearts cut out on the top of each fence post, pretty typical. My wife and I recently settled into our home just about three hundred years ago.”
My jaw dropped. “Three hundred years ago?”
Amadeo blanched at my reaction.
“I keep forgetting,” he said. “Time means something a little different where I’m from. On account that we’re practically immortal and all.”
He paused, giving me time for the information to set in.
“In the center is the third level, the last district. It’s called the Heart of the Realm. This is where all our institutions are located. You know, like universities, museums, resource libraries, theaters, things like that. It’s similar to a major metropolis. Everything happens there. It’s where all the action is, but only the eldest cupids work there. In my opinion, it’s practically a retirement gig for the ones too lazy to get their hands dirty. I mean, it doesn’t get any better than coming down from the realm to make things happen for you humans. Well, except for hot peppermint chocolate with marshmallow hearts—nothing is better than that. But that’s beside the point.”
“Which is?” I pressed.
“Oh, my point. Yes, the point is coming down to Earth does have its perks. Plus, it keeps you young at heart. You never know what’ll happen next.” He paused. “But my wife keeps talking about moving to The Heart. I don’t know. For me, I’m much happier where I can still get a little action in the human world.”
“Wait,” I said. “You said your realm is currently ‘mirroring’ Earth. Does that mean it changes, like how it looks and stuff?”
“Oh, sure. The Emotion Realm can look like anything it wants. It changes form to replicate the desired look. The Heart is in charge of maintaining the change. Every four centuries, it’s put up to a vote among the population. Whatever the voting results are, that’s what the realm will copy. It’s all very democratic, really. Of all the immortals, we’re some of the most intellectually ordered. You should see the Troll Realm. Talk about unevolved.”
I blinked several times. The Troll Realm? I closed my eyes and tried to imagine other realms with other immortals. When my brain felt as if it would melt, I put the trolls out of my head for the moment and focused on the cupid. What would it be like to live in a place like Earth, but at the same time, not?
“Tell me about your family,” I said after a short while, opening my eyes and giving up on visualizations. His smile dulled at the edges and he sighed heavily, his chest rising and falling in slow motion.
“My family,” he said. “I can’t believe this trip has taken this long. Even with my system, the lack of love in the world today has made this job increasingly difficult. Every year, I spend more and more time away from them. But this is the first year I may not even make quota.”
“Do you have kids?”
“One.” He smiled. “In a world of immortals, you’re quite lucky to have even one child. I met my wife, Davina, at university. She was studying the art of love. She’s actually been a muse for some of the most wonderful artistic expressions of love found on Earth today. You’ve heard of Gustav Klimt?”
“Yes, we studied him in art early last semester,” I replied. “He did that one painting…what was it called…oh yeah, The Kiss.”
“Well, that was my Davina. She was quite the muse for old Gustav. And here on Earth, you reaped the benefits of her work.”
“There are other jobs for cupids?”
“Of course there are. Anything you imagine that has to do with love, the expression of love, and everything else related
to it has a specific job up in our realm. How do you think it all gets done?” He shook his head at me.
Of course. How obvious.
“What about your child?”
Amadeo’s eyes glazed over.
“Luvina, my beloved daughter, was born not too long ago. She’s still a tiny cherub, but soon she’ll be grown.”
“Wait a minute,” I said. “If cupids are immortal, doesn’t your population keep growing and growing and growing with every birth? Won’t there eventually be too many cupids?”
“That’s actually quite a good question.” His eyes lit up. “Just when I’m sure you’ve shown me your maximum brain potential, you completely redeem yourself with something intellectually relevant.”
I bit my tongue.
“Anyway, every cupid reaches a point in their immortality when they begin to grow tired of the same form. It typically happens anywhere between four thousand and ten thousand years old. It just depends on the individual.
“So, whenever a cupid reaches that point, they have the option to choose to be reformed. After a short ceremony, their spirit will rise from their body and be sent into the ethos, where it will be free until it chooses to return as a child.”
“Which is why Luvina is such a gift,” I said, beginning to understand their system a bit better.
“I can’t help but feel I’m missing out on her life,” he said, his mouth drawn into a serious line. “Especially when I’ve been stuck here on Earth longer than I expected. It’s the only downfall to this job…well, that and the potential of getting pancaked by cars.” I narrowed my eyes at him. He continued, oblivious to my death stare. “Anyway, I just hope we wrap this up soon so I can go back. I do miss my girls.”
My heart melted at his last words. Despite his irritating demeanor, he was just a dad wanting to get back to his family. The urge to help him was stronger than ever before. Just because my dad stunk, didn’t mean all dads did. I’d be damned if I was going to let Luvina grow up without both her parents around. Grabbing the bow and arrow, I stood.
“That’s it,” I said. “Let’s get you home.”
I started walking over to where the target was hidden.
“Wait,” he said, grabbing my arm. “Allow me.”
With a snap of his fingers, the target, and all three hundred and eleven arrows, disappeared.
“Where—” I said, my voice fading into the distance.
“Back in the shed,” he interrupted. “After all the work I put you through today, you earned it.”
Nodding in gratitude, thankful I didn’t have to lug the target and the hundreds of arrows all the way back, I turned and walked down the path, reaching the house just as the sun was beginning to set. After quickly caring for Cosmo, I hurried through dinner and headed upstairs. If I was going to make Amadeo’s last two marks, I was going to need rest. That, and a long, hot soak in the tub.
Chapter Ten
“Well, that was almost a complete disaster,” Amadeo chastised me as we entered the barn four days later. He stormed over to where he had set up a makeshift living room near the extra blankets and sat with such anger, I was surprised the small tack bin he was using as a couch didn’t collapse. “I have experienced some pretty horrible things before, but nothing, I repeat nothing, compares to what you almost did. I nearly had a heart attack! If the elders didn’t know something was up before, they absolutely do now; I’m certain.”
He brought both hands to his face and rubbed his eyes before dragging them down to his chin, tugging the skin gently on their journey. It was the first time he appeared visibly shaken. His face twisted and I swallowed. I’d never seen him look so upset. Not even after being hit by my car.
“I said I was sorry,” I offered as I shook a light dusting of snow from my coat, following him in at a healthy distance. “And really, everything turned out fine in the end.”
He didn’t acknowledge my words. His face was almost the same shade of red as his pants. Oh boy, I’d really pushed it this time. I wished I’d hit him with my car again. Instead, I’d—I shook my head. I could fix this.
“Amadeo, I don’t know how many times I can say it. Or in how many different ways. Look, I’m really, really, sorry. Truly, I am,” I said, rubbing my hands together with vigor to warm them. “I guess my hands were just a little cold. The arrow slipped. It was an accident. Can you at least try to remember the important part? You know, the part where everything turned out okay in the end, and no one has to know.”
“A little cold?” His voice rose. “Slipped? Do you realize you were this close to breaking the first rule of the academy? The cardinal rule all cupids must make an oath to abide by before they continue their studies? The most sacred commandment?”
His gaze bored into my soul as I felt like the proverbial kid who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Totally busted.
“I know, I know,” I muttered, my eyes shifting down and looking at my feet. “Rule One: Never mark an animal with a human.”
I shuffled my feet a few times before meeting his gaze again. This time, I offered him my sincerest expression of apology. He turned away, evidently not ready to accept it.
My gut twisted. I felt absolutely horrible about what happened, but the way he was dragging it out was so dramatic. It was so Amadeo-ish. Why did I have to get stuck with the world’s most sensitive cupid with the universe’s largest ego?
Though he did have a point. All this cupid stuff was a lot harder than I had anticipated. I guess he had been right about my first shot being beginner’s luck, because my second shot did not go exactly as planned. I mean, I did almost match Mr. Dyer’s donkey to his daughter.
Winter had officially moved into Mountain Valley with a continuous sprinkling of snow that didn’t show signs of ever stopping. And while everyone else was snuggling up in front of warm fires, reading books, and sipping cider, I had been following a very demanding little cupid all over the countryside trying to make his quota before the New Year.
When Amadeo had showed me the name Stacey Dyer in his notebook, I nearly did a backflip. I knew Stacey well, or at least I had. She was a varsity cheerleader destined for prom royalty. And she was already dating Kyle Peterson, head varsity football jerk…uh, I mean, jock on campus. It should’ve been a no brainer.
However, when I showed Kyle to Amadeo, he’d become difficult.
“No, no, no,” he stated in a blunt tone. “These two will never work out. Who else you got for me, Megan?”
My mind went blank.
“What do you mean, who else?” I repeated. “They’ve been going steady for the past three years. She’s a cheerleader. He’s a jock. They’re both popular. They’re in practically all the same classes. They have to be a match. What do you mean, they’ll never work out?”
“Well, they won’t,” he replied. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Obvious for you, maybe,” I cried. “However, for us mere mortals, being together for three years is a clear sign that said relationship is, in fact, working out.”
“That’s the kind of intellectual judgment that gets you all in trouble to begin with,” he said, clicking his tongue. “Sometimes, love doesn’t follow what may appear to be the right path. The heart wants what the heart wants. And I’m telling you, Stacey’s heart definitely does not want what that young man has.”
“But they were Prom Prince and Princess last year. She cheers at all his games. They eat lunch together every day,” I exclaimed, exasperated at the thought that I’d have to find a different match for Stacey. Why couldn’t Kyle be her one?
“Listen,” he replied, “just because something has been done, and has worked in the past, doesn’t mean it’s the only way or the right way. There are lots of things that are fine with the world. But just because something is fine, doesn’t mean it’s meant to be. And it’s a good thing, too. That boy has more ego than he knows what to do with. There’s trouble in the future right there, I can tell you.”
“But there’s no one els
e,” I insisted.
“Find someone, then.” His tone indicted there’d be no convincing him otherwise.
“You’re impossible,” I grunted.
This could all be over soon. Just bite your tongue for a few more days.
Why did he have to be so difficult? I pursed my lips and closed my eyes for a moment, taking in a long breath. The sooner I found a match for Stacey, the closer I’d be to meeting my obligation with bossy pants and getting back to my normal life…whatever that was.
For the next couple days, I wracked my brain for a possible match for Stacey, but came up short. I flipped through the entire Varsity rosters for football, basketball, and baseball, but Amadeo had become quite skilled at refuting each guy I named.
Kevin Pierce? Denied. Alex Winters? Cut. Marcus Andrews? Dismissed.
Heck, I became so desperate I even considered the members of the JV wrestling team.
It wasn’t until Friday before I found myself wandering downtown again, my chatty cupid dragging behind, ready to criticize my every suggestion.
“If you weren’t so picky, maybe we could—”
“Who’s picky?” a familiar voice asked.
Spinning around, I came face to face with Jay, an inquisitive expression on his face. My eyes searched the surrounding area. Amadeo was nowhere to be seen. How convenient. I’d have to have a discussion with him concerning his habit of randomly appearing and disappearing with no warning.
“Um, no one…nothing…I was just talking to myself,” I sputtered.
Jay cocked his head and offered a smile.
“You know, Megan, you’re not like everyone else,” he said.
“Tell me about it,” I muttered, again anxiously glancing around for Amadeo.
Nothing.
“You wanna walk?” he said. “I got fries.”
He held up a white fast food bag. Not really wanting to walk, but not having eaten yet that afternoon, I nodded. Fries would work.
“Sure,” I said, surprising myself, quickly adding, “You’re not going to bail though, are you? Or ditch me for something more interesting on your phone?”