Crimson Frost (Mythos Academy #4)(18)
Author: Jennifer Estep

I didn’t say anything. There was no point in it. Helena hated me, and she wouldn’t believe a word I said anyway. But my silence only made her angrier. She stepped forward, her eyes narrowing to slits.

"I can’t believe you just walked in here this morning like everything was okay, like we all don’t know what you did-and what a traitorous Reaper bitch you are."

The kids circled around me murmured their agreement. My gaze went from one face to the next, but I all saw was anger-anger and no mercy. I wasn’t psychic, not like Grandma Frost was, but I knew what would happen now. The other kids couldn’t take their rage and frustration out on the Reapers who’d murdered their loved ones, so they were going to lash out at the next best thing-me.

"I didn’t do what the Protectorate says I did," I replied. "I didn’t do anything wrong."

How many times would I have to say those words before people believed me? I could scream them for hours, and it wouldn’t make a difference. Not after the assembly. And especially not right now.

Helena arched an eyebrow. "Really? Because I remember seeing you at the Crius Coliseum the day the other students were murdered. My friend, Samantha Diego, was one of the girls who got killed. Tell me, Gwen, was it you who stabbed her in the back? Or one of your Reaper friends?"

More murmurs of agreement filled the air, even uglier and harsher than before, and the students around me crept forward. For the first time, I noticed that many of them had their weapons in their hands, swords and daggers mostly. That was bad enough, but what made my heart quiver with fear was the way the other kids were clenching the hilts and skimming their fingers along the sharp blades, like they were thinking about using them.

On me.

Panic pulsed through my body, but I made myself stand still. I looked past the ring of students, but I didn’t see Logan. I scanned the rest of the dining hall, but I didn’t spot any of my other friends either. It took me a few more seconds to realize that all the chefs had suddenly, mysteriously, vanished as well. In fact, I didn’t see any adults dishing up pancakes and waffles at the food stations closest to my table, no professors eating their own breakfast, no staff members grabbing a cup of coffee before heading out to do their morning chores. Even more ominous was the fact that all the statues in the garden had dropped their heads and were staring at the grapevines twisted around their feet, as if they didn’t want to see what was about to happen.

Desperate now, I looked over at Alexei. His job was to guard me. I hoped it meant protecting me too, because this was not going to end well-for me.

Alexei pushed away from the wall. Hope sparked in my chest that he would grab his two swords out of his backpack and come to my defense, but all he did was stand there. He didn’t make any move to break up the mob that had circled me. I wondered if Linus had ordered Alexei to let the other kids do whatever they wanted to me. That would be one way for me to be punished-for me to be executed.

I wondered if Alexei would stop after the kids had beaten me or if he’d actually let them murder me right here in the dining hall. An image of my dead, broken body lying on the floor popped into my mind, my blood oozing over the marble, the scarlet stream getting soaked up by the black dirt in the garden and feeding the gnarled vines there-

I shook my head, banishing the image. That wasn’t going to happen. I wasn’t going to let it happen. I might not be as skilled a fighter as the other students, but I’d defend myself as best I could, even if I knew I wouldn’t win in the end. Not against so many other kids.

Too bad I’d put Vic and my messenger bag underneath the table when Logan and I had first sat down. I could just see the bag’s strap peeking out from beneath the white tablecloth on the far side of the chair I was standing next to. My heart sank. I knew I wouldn’t be able to get to the sword in time, but I still had to try. It was all I could do.

I took a step back so I could get around the chair, but I bumped into a guy standing behind me. I whirled around, and the upperclassman brandished a sword at me and grinned. I tried to move to my left to get away from him, and one of the Amazons stopped me. I shifted back to my right, and there was Helena, holding a dagger.

"Did you really think you would get away with it?" Helena snarled. "Killing our friends at the coliseum. Letting Loki loose. All of that is your fault, Gwen-your fault. People are dead, our friends and family are dead because of what you’ve done. Well, I say that we get our revenge on you, right here, right now."

The ring of kids muttered their agreement and crept even closer to me. Once more, I looked at Alexei, but he stood in the same position as before, his arms still hanging by his sides, his face completely blank. No help there. Looked like it was up to me to save myself-or die trying.

Helena took another menacing step toward me, the dagger flashing in her hand, and I reached out and grabbed my fork off the table. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but hopefully I could surprise her with it, shove her away, and break free of the mob before they all piled in on me-

"Leave her alone," a low voice growled.

Logan pushed his way through the kids until he was standing by my side. The Spartan was holding a plate with another omelet on it, along with a tall, frosty glass that contained my mango smoothie. The sight of the bright orange liquid made my stomach twist that much more.

"Get out of the way, Quinn," Helena snapped. "This is between us and Gwen."

Helena and the guy with the sword stepped forward again, and Logan moved to shield me from them-all of them. His blue eyes narrowed, and his hands tightened around the plate and the glass.

"I suggest you leave now," Logan said in a dangerous tone. "Before I show you just how deadly Spartans can be."

Everyone froze. All the Mythos kids knew about Spartans and their killer instinct, how they could pick up any weapon-or any thing-and automatically know how to kill people with it. That’s why Logan rarely carried a weapon. He didn’t need to, since he could grab whatever was handy and fight with it. He was only holding a plate and a glass, but he might as well have been brandishing two swords.

Helena sucked in a breath. For a moment, I thought she would lunge forward and try to stab me with the dagger, but she slowly tucked it back into the purse hanging off her arm. The guy with the sword lowered his weapon as well. Alexei also moved back, crossed his arms over his chest, and assumed his position against the wall once more.

"This isn’t over, Gwen," Helena spat out. "If the Protectorate doesn’t make you pay for what you’ve done, then we will. Do yourself a favor, and leave Mythos while you still can. Or do us all one and stay here so we can deal with you ourselves. Win-win for us, either way."