Arrows Read Online Free

all held our breath, since Chaz seemed to be reading from Tek’s manifesto word for word. Tek had been a cupid like us for a while, then ditched the program to “start his own thing.” He wrote a manifesto, “Sex and Human Exploration,” to explain his plan .
    “I’ve read Tek’s essay,” Dad said dismissively. “By the way, is that a direct quote?” His history lesson began to make sense. “Correct me, though—I didn’t see the term soul mates mentioned. Not once.”

    I glanced over at Chaz. Could he give Phoebe a little space? He knew we were a thing. We didn’t have an official title, since Phoebe wasn’t big on that, but everyone knew we were good together. Ever since I’d passed my final, we’d been a couple. “I’m just saying, we all know the arrows are powerful, but there are lots of ways for humans to fall in love now.”
    “But an arrow’s forever,” I said. The room got really quiet again. Phoebe hesitated, then slid her fingertips down my arm for a few seconds.
    Dad nodded at me. “Exactly, Aaryn. Now, let’s get to work. It’s a good day for love.”
    The briefing adjourned just as a goddess ran into the room. A messenger goddess. One of Iris’s girls. She wore the traditional white dress, silk, and made a beeline for my father, cupping her hand to his ear.
    The sound of the others talking grew louder.
    “Thank you,” Dad murmured, which sent the messenger girl hurrying out of the room.
    “What was that about?” I asked. My arrows rattled to one side.
    “Just a meeting I have to go to. Something about an audit.”
    The set of his jaw, the storm in his eyes and the way he avoided looking into mine, the way he’d said audit as if it wasn’t foreign or strange, and the way he strode through the door with his hands in fists, tight to his sides, paralyzed me.
    The questions in my mouth were liquid. The air had cooled. When Phoebe said goodbye, not picking up on my fear, I didn’t reply. Just stood still until the room emptied.

    Last year I landed on Earth, invisible, and used my arrows to make two people fall in love; and then I came back. That was my story. I had to stay calm.
    —
    Dad and four guards were waiting for me in my room when I returned.
    “Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” Dad asked. He faced me in the stoic way he faced everyone: as the leader. His arms were crossed. This time, his wings drooped beneath the cape, and noticing them, a feeling of relief, almost like forgiveness, hit me and spread. Finally, after a year of pretending everything was fine, that I was a good son and a good heir, someone had discovered what had gone wrong that night back on Earth. But what would happen to me?
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, stalling.
    “The practice arrow? Finals?”
    From there, my father’s words blurred.
    The assembly knows what you did.
    Write down your arrow PIN.
    I’m disabling it.
    You’re going to get a chance to fix your mistake.
    “How?” I blurted out. The room was too bright, almost as if the sun was cresting the horizon, shining directly into my eyes. “How will I fix anything without an arrow?”
    “I don’t know. But you’re going to try.”
    “I won’t go to Blackout?”
    Dad clasped his hands behind his back. “You’ll have ninety days before that happens. You, and by default, Phoebe.”
    “What?” My legs felt weak. “Where is she?” The room was spinning. “What have you done with her?”

    “She’s taking a leave of absence while you’re gone.”
    “Don’t let them hurt her. She doesn’t deserve any of this. Promise me.” Breathe in. Breathe out.
    “If you can get the guy to propose, you can come home as if nothing ever happened.”
    The room came into focus. “And if I fail?”
    “You won’t. You can’t.”
    “But what if I do? What will happen to Phoebe?”
    “I can’t change the codes. You know that. I did the best I could.” Dad picked up the paper with my PIN and handed it to a