Crimson Frost (Mythos Academy #4)(22)
Author: Jennifer Estep

Then again, the goddess was probably busy trying to fix the mess I’d made by not stopping Vivian from freeing Loki. Nike had told me that there was a war coming, one we all needed to prepare for, including the gods. But how could I help her win a war when I was in danger of losing everything?

"Anyway, I’m going to go to work now. But if you want to drop by the checkout counter later, well, I’ll be there, just like always," I told the statue. "Just don’t let Nickamedes see you. He’d probably tell you that togas aren’t allowed in the library or something silly like that. You know how he is."

The statue’s lips lifted up into a smile at my words. It was a small gesture, but it made me feel a little better, like Nike knew exactly what was going on and she hadn’t forgotten about me. Like she was watching out for me. Like she knew that everything was going to be okay in the end.

Alexei gave me a wary look, obviously thinking I had a serious case of the cray-cray and was off my rocker for talking to yet another statue, but I ignored him and headed to the main part of the library. As soon as I stepped out of the stacks, all eyes turned to me, and the students sitting at the study tables put their heads together and started whispering. I squared my shoulders, lifted my chin, and pretended I didn’t even see them, much less realize that they were talking and texting about me.

"I can’t believe she actually showed her face here."

"What is she thinking?"

"Doesn’t she know that everyone hates her?"

I snorted at that last comment. Oh yeah. I knew exactly how much everyone despised me, since they’d all made it so abundantly clear all day long.

I stepped behind the long checkout counter that divided the library in two and slung my messenger bag down into its usual spot. I turned to Alexei and pointed to a stool at the far end of the counter.

"You can sit over there," I said. "It’ll be more comfortable than standing around while I work."

Instead of moving over to the stool, he crossed his arms over his chest and took up a spot by the door that led into the glass complex where the librarians had their offices. Definitely a silent, stubborn shadow. Ah, well. I’d tried.

I put Alexei out of my mind as I plopped down onto my own stool. A few seconds later, a door behind me squeaked open, and Nickamedes stepped out of the office complex. The librarian looked at me, then did a double take, as if he was surprised to see me.

"Gwendolyn? What are you doing here?" He looked down and checked his watch. "It’s not even five o’clock. You’re early. You are never early."

I bit my tongue to keep from sniping at him. I didn’t always show up exactly on time for my library shifts. Okay, okay, so I was almost always late, but only because I snuck off campus to go see Grandma Frost. I got here eventually. But apparently, my being on time was more of a shock than I’d realized because he kept right on talking about it.

"Not once, in all the months you’ve been working here, have you ever been early. On time, occasionally. Late, excessively. But never, ever early." Nickamedes’s eyes narrowed. "What are you up to?"

My jaw clenched. Even when I did the right thing, he still gave me grief over it. Sometimes, I thought the librarian and I were just destined to disagree.

"I thought you might need some extra help today," I said through gritted teeth. "But if you don’t want me here, I can always leave and came back later. Much later, like I normally do. Maybe I’ll be so late that I won’t show up until tomorrow."

The librarian frowned. "Well, if you want to come in early today, I suppose it will make up for one of the times you’ve been late in the past. But only one. I keep a record, you know."

Of course he did. Nickamedes was just that kind of obsessive control freak. Despite the fact that there were other librarians, Nickamedes was almost always here working. I wondered if he ever took a day off. I doubted it. Someone might shelve a book in the wrong place if he wasn’t here to watch over everything.

His tone was just as snarky as mine was, but after a moment his features softened a bit. "And if any of the students have any particular problems this evening, you come and get me immediately. Do you understand?"

I nodded. I knew exactly what problems he was talking about-the ones everybody had with me now.

"And you." He fixed Alexei with a stern stare. "Your job is to protect Gwendolyn, not just watch her like a hawk. I suggest you do that, rather than standing by like a rock as you’ve been doing. The Protectorate isn’t the only one with eyes and ears around campus."

Alexei flushed a little. "I’m just doing what the Protectorate has told me to do."

Nickamedes arched a black eyebrow. "Really? Because I thought the Protectorate was in the business of protecting the students here-not letting them be hurt, abused, and bullied by their classmates."

So the librarian had heard how the other kids had been treating me. No surprise there. You’d have to be blind not to see the anger simmering in everyone’s eyes whenever they looked at me. Still, Nickamedes’s concern touched me. The librarian and I didn’t always get along, but I knew that he cared about me in his own way.

"I’m fine," I said. "I can fight my own battles. That’s what Champions do, right?"

Nickamedes stared at me. After a moment, he nodded. "That you can, Gwendolyn. But sometimes it doesn’t hurt to have someone watching your back. Someone who actually cares."

He gave Alexei another pointed look, then went back into the office complex.

Hot tears pricked my eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time today. Now, even Nickamedes was being nice to me, which told me exactly how much trouble I was in. I wondered what would happen tomorrow during my trial and how the Protectorate would ultimately rule. Would they agree that I’d been fooled by Vivian? Or would they think that I’d helped her? That I’d freed Loki on purpose?

I didn’t know the answers to my questions, and I knew that worrying would just drive me crazy. Well, crazier. So I logged on to one of the library computers, determined to get to work and not think about the Protectorate, Vivian, or Loki.

As I glanced out at the study tables in front of the checkout counter, I realized that all the students were looking at me once again. I looked from one face to another, and they all met my gaze with hard, flat stares, anger glimmering in their eyes and radiating off their bodies.

I sighed. It was going to be a long, long night.

I spent the next hour sitting at the checkout counter-alone. No one came over to find out where a book was shelved. No one asked me to track down reference material. No one needed any help at all. Instead, the other students just sat and stared at me, whispering to each other. In a way, it was worse than it had been at breakfast, since the library was one of the places where kids came to Hang Out and Be Seen.