Crimson Frost (Mythos Academy #4)(24)
Author: Jennifer Estep

Rage erupted in my heart, blotting out everything else. That was enough. That was enough! It was one thing to snidely talk about and blame me for the mistakes I’d made. I deserved nothing less for my epic failure to keep Loki imprisoned. But my mom was gone. Dead. Murdered. She couldn’t defend herself, and I wasn’t just going to stand around and listen to someone bad-mouth her when she’d died serving Nike, when she’d died trying to protect us all.

Hands clenched, I stalked out of the stacks. Alexei tried to grab my shoulder, but I ducked his hand and hurried forward. Nickamedes and Linus whirled around at the scuff of my sneakers on the marble floor.

I walked right up to the head of the Protectorate and put my hands on my hips. "Don’t you dare talk about my mom like that. She was a good person, and she did everything she could to fight the Reapers. She’s the one who hid the Helheim Dagger from them. She’s the reason they didn’t find it and use it to free Loki years ago. So don’t you dare blame her for anything. Not one thing."

"And you’re the one who found the dagger your mother so carefully hid," Linus said in a soft, accusing voice. "And now, Loki is free, and the Reapers are on the verge of declaring a second Chaos War. If your mother had been smart, if she’d been a true Champion, she would have destroyed the dagger when she had the chance. Or at least made sure that you never found it."

I couldn’t argue with his logic, since the same thoughts had crossed my mind more than once. But he was talking about my mom like she was some kind of villain, like I was some kind of villain, when Vivian was to blame for everything that had happened-including my mom’s murder. Where had Linus been when Vivian had kidnapped me? Where had the Protectorate been when she’d used my blood to free Loki? When she’d killed Nott? Why hadn’t they come to the rescue then? Why hadn’t they stopped her?

I opened my mouth to tell him exactly what I thought about him and his stupid Protectorate when a low voice called out behind me.

"Enough, Dad. That’s enough."

I turned around, and Logan stepped out of the stacks.

Chapter 10

Logan walked over and stopped beside me. Linus frowned at the sight of his son standing so close to me, as though I could infect Logan with my recklessness just by being next to him. The Spartan glared right back at his father.

"I think Logan’s right," a soft, feminine voice called out. "There’s been enough arguing-on everyone’s part."

To my surprise, a woman appeared behind Logan-one who was beautiful enough to be a goddess. She had long, honey-colored hair, bright green eyes, and flawless bronze skin. She wore a simple black pantsuit, but somehow she made the fabric look regal, as though it were the finest silk draped around her tall, slender figure. A gold necklace glimmered around her throat. Four small, round gemstones had been set into the chain, and the faint flash of the alternating rubies and emeralds only added to the woman’s elegance.

Nickamedes’s face hardened at the sight of her. "Agrona."

She tipped her head to him. "Nickamedes."

I looked at Logan, my eyebrows raised, and he finally realized that I didn’t know who she was.

"This is Agrona Quinn. My stepmom. Agrona, this is Gwen Frost."

My mouth opened, but no words came out. I knew that Logan’s mom had been murdered by Reapers when he was five, but he’d never mentioned that his father had remarried.

I hesitated, wondering if she hated me as much as her husband did. Finally, I nodded at her. "Hello. It’s nice to meet you."

Instead of glowering, she smiled back at me, her face warm and inviting. "It’s nice to finally meet you, Gwen. I’ve heard a lot about you."

Nickamedes barked out a laugh. "I just bet you have, since you’re Linus’s right hand in the Protectorate and on the academy board."

I frowned. "In the Protectorate? Then that means . . ."

Agrona stared at me. "That I’ll be among the Protectorate members hearing your case tomorrow."

Her smile turned into more of a grimace, as though she didn’t like the thought of my being on trial any more than I did. Somehow, the disappointed expression only made her seem even more radiant-and made Nickemades scowl that much more.

Linus walked over to his wife and kissed her cheek. "There you are, darling. I was wondering when you were going to arrive."

Agrona smiled at her husband. "The driver dropped me off twenty minutes ago. You said you were stopping by the library, so I came straight here in hopes of catching you. I spotted Logan coming inside, and he told me that you might be back here."

Linus’s whole face softened as he looked at her. It was obvious that he loved Agrona, and the expression almost made him seem human. Then, he noticed me watching them, and his lips clamped down and the brightness was snuffed out of his eyes. Almost.

He turned to Logan. "I was just talking to your uncle about you. Perhaps, you, Agrona, and I can go out for dinner tonight. We have a lot to discuss."

Logan stared at his father, then Agrona, and finally at me.

"It’s okay," I said, not wanting to cause any more problems between Logan and his dad. "Go ahead."

The Spartan shook his head. "I think I’ll pass. I’d rather stay here with Gwen."

His words warmed my heart, even as they caused his dad’s face to ice over that much more. But Linus reined in his temper.

"Breakfast tomorrow, then," he said in a tight voice. "And that’s not a request."

Logan glared at his dad, both of them bristling with anger. Agrona stepped in between them and threaded her arm through Linus’s.

"Breakfast, it is then," she said in a soft voice, trying to smooth over the situation, something she probably had to do a lot between them. "It will be wonderful catching up with you, Logan."

The Spartan tried to smile, but he couldn’t quite manage it. "And you too, Agrona."

Linus looked at his son another moment before turning back to Nickamedes. "Our previous conversation isn’t over. Don’t forget what I said in the meantime. I’d hate to have to repeat myself."

"How could I ever do that when such pearls of wisdom always seem to fall from your lips?" Nickamedes replied in a snide voice.

Anger flashed in Linus’s eyes, but Agrona held on to his arm and kept him by her side.

"You might be head of the Protectorate, but I’m in charge of the library," Nickamedes said. "And I think it’s time for you to leave. Gwendolyn needs to get back to work, and so do I."

Linus stiffened, then turned on his heel and stalked around the back of the office complex and toward the front of the library. Agrona gave everyone an apologetic smile. Her eyes lingered on me a moment before she turned and hurried after her husband.