Crimson Frost (Mythos Academy #4)(47)
Author: Jennifer Estep

"Knock ’em dead, Carson," I said.

He tried to smile at me but ended up clutching his stomach instead.

"Are you sure you’re going to be okay here by yourself, Gypsy girl?" Logan asked.

"I’ll be fine," I said. "Besides, Alexei will be here with me."

I jerked my thumb over my shoulder at the other warrior, who was talking with Oliver, Kenzie, and Talia. Alexei had been waiting outside my room just like usual this morning, and he’d come over to the gym with me, although he’d actually walked beside me this time, instead of trailing behind a few steps. Maybe I was growing on him. I snorted. Not likely.

One person I was definitely not growing on was Linus. He stood next to one of the buses, along with Agrona, Inari, and Sergei. The members of the Protectorate were going with the students to, well, protect them, along with Metis, Nickamedes, and Coach Ajax. They were all part of the guard for the concert.

I just wondered which one of them was really a Reaper.

Was it Sergei with his big smile and boisterous laugh? Quiet, soft-spoken Inari who always faded into the background? Beautiful Agrona? Or even Linus himself? My gaze went from one of their faces to another, but everyone was acting normal. When I’d first walked over here, Metis had pulled me aside and told me that she, Ajax, and Nickamedes hadn’t been able to find out anything concrete about who had been where during the attack in the library. Metis had promised to keep digging for answers, but I had a feeling it was already too late.

Linus noticed me staring at him-and the fact that Logan was by my side. His mouth flattered out into a thin line.

"Ignore him," Logan said, realizing who I was looking at. "Or just be glad you don’t have to spend the afternoon with him. He’s probably going to be looking over my shoulder the whole time, telling me how I should do things, how a real Spartan would do things."

His voice was mocking, but pain shimmered in his icy eyes. Even now, after everything that had happened, it was obvious that Logan still wanted his dad’s love and approval-and more important, his understanding for Logan’s not fighting alongside his mom and sister when the Reapers had attacked them.

"Things aren’t any better between the two of you?" I asked.

Logan shook his head. "No, but I don’t want to talk about him right now. Just be careful today, okay? It would be just like the Reapers to try something on campus while we’re gone-or the other kids."

"Don’t worry," I said. "I can hold my own against a few Reapers or pissed-off mean girls like Helena Paxton."

He gave me a crooked grin. "That you can, Gypsy girl. That you can."

We kissed, and then everyone boarded the buses. I stood in the parking lot and waved as the engines started up, and the drivers steered the buses through the gate on this side of the academy. Alexei came over to stand beside me, his backpack hanging off his shoulder.

"Don’t worry," Alexei echoed my words to Logan when the last of the buses had disappeared. "Your friends will be okay. My father and the other members of the Protectorate will make sure of it."

I nodded, although I didn’t really believe him. For all his Protectorate training, for all his skill and magic as a Bogatyr, Alexei hadn’t been there the night Loki had escaped. He hadn’t looked the god in the eye like I had, and he hadn’t felt the evil intent rolling off Loki, the burning desire to kill every single member of the Pantheon. Alexei simply didn’t realize that none of us was safe, not anymore-not even at Mythos Academy.

But there was a way I could make sure that my friends were as protected as they could be-by finding out what Vivian and the other Reapers were really up to.

"Come on," I told Alexei. "I hope you have your walking shoes on because I have things to do today."

On the weekends, the Mythos kids spent most of their time sleeping late, hanging out in their dorms, or browsing through the shops in Cypress Mountain. Today, the other students were getting ready to go to the band concert in a few hours, so the main quad was deserted as I headed toward the Library of Antiquities. To my surprise, Alexei once again walked beside me. He kept glancing at me, like something was on his mind.

"Something you want to say?" I finally asked.

He didn’t answer me for several seconds. "Oliver told me what you said to him about me . . . about how what was going on with you didn’t have anything to do with him and the way I feel about him. I just wanted to thank you for that."

"I know what it’s like to be totally into someone," I said. "I just want Oliver to be happy, and if you make him happy, then that’s fine by me. Although if you end up hurting him, I will make you wish you hadn’t, Protectorate or no Protectorate. Understand?"

He nodded. "I understand."

We reached the library steps, and I stopped to look at the two gryphons. Maybe it was my imagination, but the statues seemed . . . troubled. Their eyes narrowed, their brows furrowed like they were worried about something. Maybe they could sense the tension in the air. It was almost like I could see the storm clouds gathering overhead. I just didn’t know where the lightning would strike first-or who would get burned by it. I shivered, pulled my gaze away from the statues, and walked on.

All of the students were encouraged to attend the band concert, well, except for me. But there were a few folks who’d decided not to go, for whatever reason, which was why the library was open today. Besides, Mythos students always had homework to do, concert or no concert. I spotted a couple of kids sitting at the study tables near the checkout counter, including Morgan McDougall. I waved at the Valkyrie, who returned the gesture before going back to the book she’d been reading.

But instead of sitting down with her or at one of the other tables, I headed into the stacks.

"What are you doing?" Alexei asked. "Where are you going? You don’t have your bag with you, so I know you don’t have any books to do your homework with."

"That’s because I’m not here to do homework," I said. "More like extra credit."

Alexei frowned at my cryptic words, but he fell into step beside me.

Deeper and deeper into the stacks I went until I finally reached the spot where the Reaper had broken the case holding Apate’s box and jewelry. All the glass had been cleaned up, although the case was still here-at least what was left of it. The Reaper had smashed the wood on top, but the base and the legs were still intact. I guessed that Nickamedes just hadn’t gotten around to getting the case fixed or replaced yet. Either way, I was glad it was still here.

I drew in a breath, pushed up the sleeves of my purple hoodie, reached out, and touched the case with both hands.