Dad's sat at the kitchen table when I enter the house, nursing a coffee at his laptop. He looks up and smiles when he sees me in the doorway.

"Been out with this Cupid fellow again?" he asks. He raises a dark eyebrow – then shakes his head. "Cupid...what a ridiculous nickname...I don't understand you kids."

He goes back to typing as I grab a glass from the cupboard and get myself some juice from the fridge.

"I saw Charlie, too," I say. "You still working?"

"Have to balance these books before tomorrow," he says.

He pulls a face but I see in his eyes that he's glad to be back in an office job again. I grin then head back to the door. It's good to see him happy again after losing my mom.

"Lila..." he says suddenly.

"Yeah?"

Dad takes a deep breath, color filling his cheeks. He runs his hand through his messy black hair. I look at him in confusion.

"I...I have a date on Friday night. With Sarah...the doctor from the hospital..."

A grin widens on my face; Sarah is the woman that Cupid and Cal introduced him to after the battle – a potential match for my dad after the rules of love changed forever.

"So...I...uh...I might not be home Friday night," he says hurriedly.

I roll my eyes.

"I know you've been seeing her, dad...you don't have to get all weird about it..."

He exhales, a sheepish look on his face.

"So, you don't mind?"

I walk over and kiss him on his forehead.

"Course not," I say.

Then I head out, and up to my room to call Charlie.

I want to fill her in on the whole Valentine situation.

***

I wake up with a start in the middle of the night. I blink – confused.

Why did I wake up?

I think there was a noise.

I cast my eyes around the shadows in the room. My pulse is racing. I feel like something's wrong.

There's another thud outside my window and I jolt upright.

Valentine.

Cupid's words come back to me.                                 

If Valentine has escaped...this could be bad, Lila. Really bad.

What if he's found me?

I take a moment, breathe in deeply, and calm the beating of my heart.

Then I swing my legs out of the covers, and reach under my bed – pulling out a sleek black quiver full of arrows that Cupid took from the Matchmaking Service. I trace my finger along one, an Ardor, the torture arrow. Its gold edge is cool under my touch.

Then I move quickly to the window.

I peer out onto the street – squint through the darkness. I catch movement by a tree across the road. I turn to focus on it, gripping the arrow tight in my hand.

Then I release the breath I was holding.

Cal is stood there, facing away from the window, his face hidden by shadow. The tip of his bow gleams in the dim light of a nearby streetlamp.

Of course.

Cal.

In the haze of sleep I'd forgotten he was looking out for me.

As I watch him, his hair almost white under the light of the moon, I frown. I lean forwards against my window ledge. His head is moving, as though he's speaking.

He's not alone.

He's talking to someone – someone hidden by the shadow of the tree. As he moves his face I catch his agitated expression. And something else – gleaming in his silvery eyes. Fear?

Very quietly I open the window a little, allowing a gust of fresh, winter air into my room. It brings with it the sound of voices.

"Things are not how they should be," a female voice with a Greek accent. "The gone are not gone. The dead... the girl..."

"Stay away from Lila."

"...she is watching."

Cal jerks his head toward my window. His eyes lock onto mine, wide, startled. Then he spins back around to the tree.

"Wait..."

There is no response.

I see him relax a little, the tension seeping out from his shoulder. Then he turns back to my window and frowns. His eyes flash with irritation

Go back to bed, he mouths.

I glance down the street, hoping to catch sight of the girl Cal was speaking to. What did she mean? Why was she outside my house?!

I shake my head.

I'm coming down, I mouth back.

He gives me a disgruntled look, but makes no protest. I place the arrow back under my bed. Then I slip on my big, boot like slippers, throw a hoody on over my flannel pajamas, then tiptoe out of my room to see Cal.

The words I overheard repeat in my mind.

Things are not how they should be. The gone are not gone. The dead...the girl...

I want to know who he was talking to.

And what it has to do with me.

Hi guys! I'll tell you more about this when I'm back home - but I'm now allowed to share my news with you...!

SO EXCITED!!!

😃😃😃😃😃😃

I shared the press release about it over on my twitter account (LEPalphreyman) if you want to read more about it before I tell you more in detail on Saturday.

Until then, hope you all have a lovely week!

Talk soon!

Lots of love from Venice!

Lauren
Xxx