Cassieblewintothepenthouse without a knock or an invitation. The door flung open with a gust of enchanted wind—she knew how to pick magical locks, and she was notorious for barging in whenever she pleased.
I kind of liked it. It reminded me that someone cared about me. Even if I felt undeserving of it. When you lock your heart, it doesn’t just prevent you from falling in love. It stunts all connections and emotions.
“I came as soon as I got the impression,” she said, breathless, her aura buzzing like static.
I turned from the balcony rail, clutching a framed photo of my mom and me. The evening ocean breeze tangled through my hair, salty and soft, like fingers trying to soothe me. It wasn’t working. Behind me, the waves crashed against the shore in rhythmic fury—mimicking the panic attack I had going on inside me. I’d been staring at the waves for the last hour, trying to make sense of what had happened in Hestia’s office. And thinking about my mom. A lot. Mostly about what kind of life she would want for me.
It certainly wasn’t the one I’d been living. I knew she would want me to have love in my life . . . and probably abetter wardrobe. Shopping for clothes used to be our favorite pastime.
That said, I couldn’t believe Zeus had ordered me to go on a quest. And not just any quest. This was probably the most horrific quest of all time—appearing on a reality TV show. I would much rather have been sent to slay a Hydra. Or wrestle a Minotaur. Or clean out the Augean stables with a toothbrush.
Anything but appearing onLove Unscriptedand letting Roman Archer choose who I dated. Or worse, sitting through all the in-depth interviews I would have to have with him. I couldn’t believe he’d agreed to it. We hated each other. It was apparent from the first time I met him that he loathed me.
It had crushed me.
My goddess side had whispered things to me about him. Beautiful things. Things I’d thought would mend my broken heart at seventeen, or at least stitch it up some. Those whispers were lies. Big fat lies that I had believed with all my heart. So much that I’d made a fool of myself. I still couldn’t even think about the night we first met.
That horrific night had made me not trust that side of me. And after wrongly believing that my father had used his powers against my mother, I’d wanted to protect my young heart against any god or demigod, so I locked it. I hadn’t even been sure I could. But I’d figured if I had the ability to make people fall in love, why couldn’t I also prevent it?
It was rash and drastic, especially for one so young. But I was hurting and desperate and still in shock a year after my mother’s death. As I grew older, I had often regretted the choice. But even as I was performing the complicated magic, something deep inside me spoke to me. It whispered thattrue love couldn’t be stopped. That it was the most powerful magic on the earth and in the heavens. That if true love found me, it could and would unlock my heart.
It had obviously never found me.
It’s not like I’d really done anything to find it either. I figured if someone like Jonas couldn’t unlock my heart, it was hopeless. And now I spent my days working long hours and then hiding in my penthouse. Then there were my fashion choices, which didn’t exactly scream that I was looking for love. Believe me: No one was asking to see what was under the black muumuu.
Even if I did leave my comfort zone and changed my wardrobe, I didn’t see how I was going to find true love on Roman’s ridiculous show.
Don’t even get me going about the exposure this meant for me. My return to public life was going to be a circus at best. Why would Zeus want to unmask me like that?
Cassie stopped just outside the double doors to the balcony. Her wide, worried eyes fell on the photo I was clutching, but she said nothing of it. “A great disturbance has happened in the Force,” she said breathlessly.
“We’re not Jedis,” I deadpanned.
She inched closer. “You know what I mean. I got the impression you have to leave. Please tell me I’m wrong.”
I walked past her into the penthouse, exhaling slowly, deliberately. “I wish I could.”
She followed me. “You should have let me hex Roman. That glorified toga rack.”
“It’s not his doing.” I threw myself onto my stiff leather couch. It was as impersonal as I was. The entire place was. It looked like it was straight out of a luxury catalog curatedby someone who’d never felt joy. All clean lines and cold surfaces.
No warmth. No soul.
Just like me, for the last several years.
Now I was paying the price for it.
Cassie sat next to me. She was already ready for bed, wearing her loud purple Pegasus lounge set. “Then why do you have to leave?” she asked.
I hugged the framed photo tighter. The one of Mom and me, locked in a sweaty, chalk-dusted embrace just moments after a judge at the Olympic Trials told me I’d made Team USA. We were both delirious—grinning, crying, squeezing the life out of each other.
I wished I could have bottled that joy and saved it forever. If only I had known what was to come.
A week later, all the joy was gone. A freak accident on the road to our house in Malibu. A deer darted out in the middle of the road. Mom swerved to miss it. The roads were wet, and the car lost traction. We rolled down a steep ledge. I shouldn’t have survived. My divine lineage saved my life that night. And it stole it too.
I didn’t tell Cassie any of this. Instead, I recounted my divine ultimatum and the mortifying quest Zeus had bequeathed me. Worst gift ever.
Her violet eyes flashed everything from shock to outrage on my behalf, and even some amusement. She couldn’t help herself; she giggled. “Oh. My. Titans. You onLove Unscripted?”
