Page 158 of Love & Heart Braking

“I don’t want to use this,” I told the shaking berserker. “But I will.”

“She has a bow,” Annya stuttered.

“Heart elemental,” Rolli said, not sounding as surprised.

The berserker grinned. “You have no arrows.”

I let my magic surge down my arm. A pink arrow formed across the bowstring. “Is that so?”

“You’re going to shoot me with love?” he said.

But the glow of his eyes had simmered. He wasn’t shaking as much. Too late, I should’ve palmed the beeper right at the start. Devereaux could nearly be here by now.

“In my tote, there’s a black beeper,” I said under my breath. “Squeeze it three times.”

Enzo briefly appeared in my vision, dragging the tote back. I wanted to pause and tell him that he’d achieved what very few had before him, but this wasn’t the time.

The berserker laughed. “You won’t be using that beeper.”

My gut churned, and I took a breath, then summoned the other object hidden in my wardrobe—not my shapewear. Black and grey curled up around my feet like smoke.

The metal bow took the place of my pink magic.

“What’s that?” Annya asked.

The berserker had noticed too.

“This arrow is very special,” I said to him in a low voice. “It’s not one you can dodge.” Just like with my pink magic, I knew that if I let this arrow fly, it would absolutely find its target. “If this arrow hits you, then all the love you’ve ever known—with your friends, with your partner, and with your children will be gone in an instant. You’ll look at them and remember you once felt something for them, you’ll have memories even, but you won’t feel the warmth or joy or security of that connection. Your memories will be bland. Your interactions with them won’t feel like anything. Even with others, you will feel alone.”

The blue in his gaze faded entirely, and he stood shaking, backing away from me.

“Go,” I said softly. “I will see that Devereaux gets money to you for the drug.”

The man was in control again.

He swallowed. “Thank you. I—I’m sorry.”

As he disappeared into the night, I banished my bow and arrow, glancing uneasily out the conservatory window.

“Cerys,” Enzo gasped.

I turned to the cupids. “You must never, ever speak of what you saw here. Not over the phone, not over the internet, and not in person. My life is in your hands.”

Rolli nodded immediately. “You can count on me, Cerys. You know I’m good for it.”

I did.

“I would never,” Annya said low, her face awash with excitement. “This means so much to our community. You have to know we’d protect you with whatever means possible.”

I smiled at her, appreciating the sentiment, even if I thought it showed her innocence. “Thank you.”

“The last heart elemental,” Enzo said in wonder. “Is it true what you said about that metal arrow?”

They all shuddered.

“Yes,” I said. “And I hope to never use it.” I wouldn’t have used it on the berserker even if he’d attacked. I sighed, scanning the conservatory. The place was a mess. “There’s another function here tomorrow. Let’s carry the broken stuff into the back. I’ll ring the venue manager.”

Did insurance cover this? I had no idea. Reading a policy was not high on my list of things to do. “Did you squeeze the beeper?”

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