Page 25 of Love & Heart Braking

Yeah, not happening. I slid the door open and squinted into the dark room at a terrified Rolli balled up in the far corner. A Rolli who had his hands shoved into his armpits. A faint purple glow was just visible in the darkness.

Oh. Shit.

I switched on the light.

“You’ve got magic,” I said dumbly.

Rolli turned green. “No, I don’t. It’s—”

“Rolli.” I cut him off. I considered my options as he babbled an excuse about infectious purple fungus. Rolli would be super afraid right now. He’d never worked in the dating industry before, and I was willing to wager this was exactly why. “You’re not the first cupid I’ve seen with magic. It’s okay.”

His jaw clicked as his mouth snapped shut. He slowly unfurled, lowering his glowing purple hands to his sides. “I thought I was the only one.”

“You’re not.”

“Who else is there?” He took a breath. “Wait. No one’s ever discovered the truth. I need to leave Nepos. My parents said—”

Okay, looks like we’re going all the way. I steeled my resolve. “I have magic too.”

Rolli’s mouth snapped shut a second time.

We looked at each other. I raised my pointer finger, letting pink magic flow out. It formed a heart. And arrow spearing the middle.

Huh. The arrow was new.

“You have magic.” The cupid gasped.

Well, I assumed he wasn’t a heart elemental.

“I’m only telling you, so you feel comfortable staying in Nepos. I know your secret and you know mine. That’s our protection from each other. I just think that we have enough people to keep it from without needing to keep it from someone who really understands what it’s like. Yeah? Maybe we can help each other out.”

He nodded, eyes still wide.

“Are you a cupid or a heart elemental?” I couldn’t resist asking.

“No bow. My grandfather was a heart elemental.”

No wonder Rolli was so good at the job. He had extra juice, so to speak.

I stepped forward and hugged the cupid tightly. “I’m so glad there’s another me.”

He trembled in my arms. “So am I.”

“I will never, ever tell another soul about you,” I said. “I know it’s hard to trust when we are what we are. But I swear it to you.”

Rolli tightened his hold on me, hands glowing purple. “Me too, Cerys. I promise it goes to the grave with me.”

I sniffed. “Thank you.”

“I need to tell you something.” He drew back.

“What is it? Are you in trouble?”

“No.” Rolli smirked. “You are.”

I searched his expression. “I’m not following.”

He darted his gaze to the front door. “True love has found you, Cerys Concordia.”

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