It's all Cupid's fault (The Holidaze Book 2)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5
Mia went on a trip to Santa's Village soon after she broke things off with Bevan. She tried to distract herself with the snow, being in Meri’s company, and of course playing with little Avery.
It was on one blizzard afternoon when she couldn't leave Meri’s, when an idea occurred to her. Sander had started to talk about Cupid and how the Match-a-Matic was on the fritz.
Mia perked her head up and started to keenly listen. The moment Sander left, Mia turned to her friend with a plan in mind. She hadn't once told Meri about the letters to Cupid, and even now she didn't intend to say anything. How was she to find out the information she needed?
“Has Sander really gone to find Cupid?” Mia asked with as derisive a chuckle as she could manage.
“Yes. The different Holidaze get together all the time. There's a once a year meeting and everything. I went last year. It's in June or July when all of the holidays are in their off season,” Meri said as she picked up Avery who had started to cry.
“The Holidaze?” Mia asked pronouncing it the same way that Meri had.
“It's an inside joke.”
“How do you get there? I've explored every inch of this place since you came here and I've never seen anything outside of Santa's Village,” Mia tried to keep her voice casual, but Meri didn't notice any difference.
“There's a road hidden in a thicket out near Mt Tinsel. The road leads to an open area where there's an entrance for every one of the Holidaze. Ours is represented by a giant wreath covered in snow. All of the others have a similar theme to whatever their holiday happens to represent. Valentine's Day is a heart. Easter is an egg, that kind of thing. Why do you ask?” Meri finished her explanation with a curious glance at Mia.
It took Mia a great deal of effort to shrug and look away, “I just wondered.”
Avery started crying, so Meri managed to forget their topic of conversation and Mia couldn't be more grateful for the interruption. Mia gave the baby a conspiratorial wink, but Avery didn't notice around her tears.
The plan began to formulate and expand in Mia’s mind. If Cupid didn't want to give her the right man, then she would go to Cupid and give him a piece of her mind. He was as close as she'd ever get to seeing the idiot, and now she'd take advantage of that opportunity.
Mia knew of Mt Tinsel and had even skied on it a few times. Now she'd set to exploring the area for any road that she could find. Cupid needed to know how he never did his job right and she was the person to tell him.
Mia itched for the next few days while the blizzard raged. She talked about how she couldn't wait to go skiing again in all the new snow to divert her friends suspicions.
On the third day, the weather showed a crystal clear day. Mia struggled to finish her breakfast with her enthusiasm to get out and find Cupid.
“The snows not going anywhere, Mia,” Meri said with a laugh.
“Being cooped up in here for the last few days has left me edgy. How do you stand it during a blizzard longer than that one?” Mia tried to move the conversation away from her own issues.
“We keep busy,” Meri's long look to Sander gave Mia the answer and a laugh escaped her.
“I can only imagine.”
Mia said nothing more. She went through the many plans in her mind of what she intended to do today. Find that road and give Cupid a piece of her mind!
Hours later after many fruitless searches around the base of Mt Tinsel, Mia wondered if she should give up. Maybe this was a hidden road only open to those who lived within the Holidaze.
She went back to Meri's home that evening feeling disgruntled. Mia only had a day life before she said she'd head back to her normal life. If she changed it, Meri would grow suspicious.
The following day, Mia went out into the snow the very second it became light enough. By the middle of the day Mia wanted to give up in sheer frustration. How was this ever going to help her find a long term relationship?
It was when she turned to go back to Meri's when she spotted something in amongst the dense trees. She knew she'd been over this section of Mt Tinsel many times before because it was the place she entered and exited on her way to Meri's house.
With a frown, she made her way over to the obscurity she had noticed. Barely noticeable, except for a discerning eye, in amongst even more thick undergrowth she saw a path.
It wasn't much of a path, so Mia paused. Meri had said that there was a road, not this barely there track that looked like nobody had used it in years.
She hesitated, stared at the path a moment longer and then made her decision. If this path led to the insufferable Cupid then she would take it. She would deal with the consequences if it went elsewhere later.
Mia had adapted to Santa's Village. She knew the many pitfalls and dilemmas she could find, until she walked upon that path. Creeping vines created eerie patterns in amongst the shadows. The path grew narrower and more indistinct the further she walked.
Mia gathered her gumption around her. She wasn't going to let a few plants scare her away from her goal. A bird cawed raucously above her and Mia jumped. Her heart raced and she clutched at her chest.
“Don't let a bird stop you. Don't forget what that Cupid did to you,” Mia assured herself.
The second she spoke the name of Cupid, everything changed. The gloomy trees brightened and Mia could see clearly ahead of her. What she had noticed as a hidden, bumpy track smoothed out into a paved road. She stared around her at the beautiful scenery.
As usual, in this magic filled world, nothing worked as she expected it would. She didn't want to ponder about how calling the name of Cupid opened this road up for her, but at least she knew how to safely return.
Mia continued down the road, her steps growing ever more determined. Speaking her mind with Cupid was now the most important next step in finding a life partner.
When she walked onto the giant crossroads, Mia's mouth gaped open. She took in everything with wide, astonished eyes. There was an entrance for every holiday, just as Meri had said. In every direction a road pointed to a different holiday from every religion, and every celebration made around the world had its own representation.
She hadn't expected such an expansive area. Now she understood why it had the name of Holidaze, because this place dazed her without even trying.
Above her head, she noticed the giant wreath that Meri had mentioned. At least her way home wouldn't be at all hard to find. Now all she had to figure out was the opening to Cupid's place.
It didn't take Mia long to find. Copious paper hearts flew around the opening and the rich scent of roses wafted towards her. A giant heart sat above the opening in pride of place.
Mia wondered if the rest of the place looked as gaudy as the entrance. Would she find cherubs flying around aiming arrows at her?
There was only one way to find out! She stepped through the opening that represented Valentine's Day. For the walk through, Mia had held her breath anticipating anything that could happen. What faced her was not only unexpected but also shocking.
She had adapted to Santa's Village, which openly cheered and encouraged its festivities, but this place appeared to show the opposite. All manners of love had been shunted away to a fetid darkness that appalled her.
Mia had prepared herself to duck arrows and cherubs alike, instead she just stood in an empty void. A large, foreboding building was the only thing in sight. Feeble light shone from one of the windows, but even its shine grew dim.
Something near her creaked and Mia leapt to the side. Nothing but a murky dimness surrounded her and left her spooked.
How had Valentine's Day become such a grim place? Wasn't it a place to celebrate love and happiness? She could only wonder what had happened here.
Trying to appear confident, Mia set off towards the building. A billowing fog followed her and chased her towards the building. She faltered when she came closer to the ominous front door, but she kept going.
With her heart pounding, Mia yanked the door open. She had to wonder if she hadn't accidentally landed in the Halloween section of the Holidaze. This place sure had the spooky angle all wrapped up.
The moment she entered the building, she realised that this really was the home of Valentine’s Day. A huge banner over the sweeping staircase proclaimed this was Cupid's home and where Valentine's Day resided.
“Hello?” Mia called out into the dimly lit space.
Nothing moved to answer her and Mia took another step into the building. In the gloominess she could see the same light that she had noticed from the outside. Hopefully, that would lead to somebody.
Trailing up the stairs created a dust plume that almost choked her, so she took more careful steps until she made it to the upstairs landing. Mia found herself following the light, which gradually began to brighten.
The door sat ajar, so Mia couldn't see inside. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stared at the room in front of her.
The most stunning woman that Mia had ever seen sat behind a desk casually painting her nails. She looked bored until Mia crept around the door. The woman jumped into the air with a graceful leap and a piercing scream.
“Who are you?” Devinah asked as she clutched at herself while staring at the stranger.
“I'm Mia. Who are you?”
“Devinah, delighter of the world. How did you get here, Mia?”
“Devinah, delighter of the world?” Mia repeated with a laugh. “What kind of name is that supposed to be?”
“State your purpose!” Devinah’s eyes narrowed on Mia.
“I need to see Cupid because I'm tired of him sending me all of these dud men,” Mia admitted before slapping a hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to say any of that.
Devinah sat back down in her chair and examined Mia with greater curiosity. Assessing eyes scanned over her until Mia wanted to itch with discomfort. She didn't move but it took a lot of effort.
“Is your name Caramia Hayworth?” Devinah asked.
Mia couldn't hide her shock in the way she jumped back and clapped a hand over her mouth. She hadn't expected anyone to know her, so how did this woman? Was she actually in the realm of Cupid or not?
Mia started to back away and realised that she didn't want to know this woman. All she wanted to do now was leave for home. She never should've come here. From now on she'd accept that she would never find her someone special.