Crimson Frost (Mythos Academy #4)(44)
Author: Jennifer Estep

"I just wish I could do the same to Linus," I said. "I could, if I touched him."

Grandma shook her head. "It’s not worth the risk, pumpkin. Vivian’s got them so turned around, I doubt he’d believe you. He’d probably just think that you have her telepathy magic."

I wondered if that was the real distinction between my magic and Vivian’s-that she could worm her way into people’s brains and make them see things that weren’t really there without laying a hand on them. So far, I’d only used my power to make Nott and the asp see my memories, things that had actually happened, and I’d had to touch them to do it. Another way Vivian and I were eerily similar but still different.

I let out a frustrated sigh because I knew Grandma Frost was right. At this point, the Protectorate would think what they wanted about me, and there was nothing I could do to change their minds one way or the other.

But I could do something about Vivian. The Reaper girl had told me that she was up to something, and I was willing to bet it had a lot to do with the attack in the library last night. Whatever Vivian and the other Reapers were planning, they weren’t going to get away with it. Just because I was on trial for my life didn’t mean that I was going to stop fighting against them. They’d already taken away so much from me. They weren’t taking anything else, and they weren’t hurting anyone else that I loved.

Now, I just needed to find a way to stop Vivian and the Reapers-before it was too late.

The Protectorate was going to take the weekend to decide my fate, which meant I could stay on campus until Monday afternoon, when they made their final decision about me-and Vivian.

I wondered if they found me guilty, did that mean Vivian would be declared innocent and be allowed to come back to Mythos? Could that be what she really wanted? Was that what all the false accusations had been about?

No, I thought. It was too simple. Vivian wouldn’t have risked contacting the Protectorate just so she could come back to school. She had to be up to something bigger, something that would hurt the Pantheon a lot more than just discrediting me as Nike’s Champion. Sure, I imagined she’d be thrilled if the Protectorate decided to sentence me to death, but I couldn’t shake this nagging feeling that there was something else going on.

"What are you thinking about, Gwendolyn?" Nickamedes asked, packing up his papers. "You’ve been awfully quiet."

I shrugged. "Just going over everything that’s happened. Everything that Vivian said."

"Don’t worry about her," Nickamedes replied. "Despite my feelings toward Linus, I cannot believe he would be foolish enough to believe her. You’ll be cleared of all charges and get to stay right here at Mythos where you belong. Trust me."

I nodded, even though I didn’t really believe that.

Since my trial was over, everyone except for Raven left the prison and walked up the many stairs to the ground floor of the math-science building. Agrona, Inari, and Sergei paused just inside the door that led outside and started talking among themselves, but Linus gestured at me to stop.

"Don’t forget, Miss Frost," he said, giving me the same frigid stare as always. "Your trial might be over, but you are still under arrest, so the same rules apply. You are restricted to campus for the weekend, and you will be watched at all times."

I frowned. "But the winter band concert is tomorrow. I had plans to go. One of my friends is in the band-"

"Forget it, Miss Frost," he interrupted. "You’re not going to the concert. If I were you, I’d take this weekend to think about all the things you’ve done. Perhaps even consider confessing and throwing yourself on the mercy of the Protectorate. That sort of gesture might mitigate your punishment-somewhat."

So he’d already decided that I was guilty.

"But I didn’t do anything wrong," I said once again.

Instead of answering me, Linus stared at me another second, then turned and strode over to the other members of the Protectorate.

"Don’t worry, Gwen," Metis said, walking over to stand beside me. "Everything will be okay. The asp lashed out at Vivian, not you. The Protectorate has to take that into consideration."

I shook my head. "No, it won’t," I said in a low voice only she could hear. "Not with Linus hating me like he does. And especially not since one of them is probably a Reaper."

Metis frowned. "What do you mean?"

I told her about seeing the ruby chips on Vivian’s ring and how I thought they’d been part of Apate’s box. I also told her how Vivian had looked at one of the members of the Protectorate after the asp had tried to bite her.

"One of them has to be helping her," I said. "It’s the only thing that makes sense."

Metis’s mouth tightened. "I’ll tell Nickamedes and Ajax. We’ll quietly ask around and see who was where when the Reapers attacked. If one of them is a Reaper, we’ll find out who it is-and deal with him or her. You can count on that."

I nodded, grateful that she believed me, that she didn’t think I was crazy or guilty or up to no good like Linus would have.

I headed outside, along with Grandma Frost, Metis, Ajax, Nickamedes, and, of course, Alexei, who was back to shadowing me again. The trial had gone on longer than I’d thought because twilight had already fallen over the campus, giving everything a faint lavender sheen.

My friends were waiting for me on the quad-Daphne, Carson, Oliver, and Logan. They’d been huddled together on the building’s steps and got to their feet when they saw me. Grandma Frost spotted them too.

"I need to speak to Metis," she said. "Are you going to be okay tonight, pumpkin?"

"I’ll be fine," I said. "I want to talk to my friends about what happened, and I need to warn them about Vivian."

She nodded. "Well, you call me if you need me. Day or night. I love you, and don’t you worry. Everything’s going to work out the way it’s supposed to. You’ll see."

For a moment, that distant, glassy look filled her eyes, and that ancient, invisible force stirred around her, as though she was getting a glimpse of the future-my future. Then, her gaze cleared, and the force vanished, blown away by a cold gust of wind. Still, her words made me feel a little better.

I hugged Grandma Frost, then watched her walk across the quad with Metis, Ajax, and Nickamedes, all of them with their heads together, talking softly. Looked like I wasn’t the only one trying to come up with a plan. But I was the one who was Nike’s Champion. I was the one who was supposed to protect everyone from the Reapers, and I was the one who was supposed to kill Loki. I loved my grandma, and I knew the other adults were watching out for me too, but I also realized that I couldn’t rely on them to get me out of this mess. No, being a Champion meant fighting your own battles, and I was determined to win this struggle against Vivian.