Killer Frost (Mythos Academy #6)(53)
Author: Jennifer Estep

But this wasn’t a class, and no one was going to pull their punches today.

Meanwhile, Raven manned the coffee cart, passing out free drinks and snacks to anyone who wanted something, although most folks just stood there, holding their food, instead of actually chowing down on it. I knew I was far too full of fear, worry, and dread to even think about eating right now.

Instead, I wondered why.

I wondered why the other kids and adults would risk themselves in a battle that we had a very real chance of losing, instead of evacuating to safety with the others. I asked the question out loud to Daphne, who was still typing furiously on the computer, searching for more artifacts, but she wasn’t the one who answered me.

Instead, Savannah piped up from her spot at a nearby study table.

“You’re not the only one who’s lost people to the Reapers,” Savannah said in a quiet voice, twirling a staff around and around in her hands. “This is our chance to finally confront the Reapers who took away the people we love.”

From what Daphne had once told me, most of Savannah’s family had been murdered by Reapers. I winced, thinking that I’d taken Logan away from her too, but she came over and laid a hand on my arm, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking.

“It’s okay, Gwen,” Savannah said, her green eyes serious. “I’ve moved on. In fact, I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”

She turned and smiled at a Viking I recognized from my English-lit class, one who gave her an adoring look in return. When he realized that we were both watching him, he blushed, ducked his head, and went back to hefting the battle axe in his hand.

“His name is Doug,” she said, answering my silent questions. “Apparently, he’d been into me for a while, and wanted to ask me out, but I was with Logan, so he thought he didn’t have a chance. Once I wasn’t, well, you know what happened. He’s great.”

“I’m happy that you’re happy,” I said. “I really mean it.”

Savannah nodded. “I know you do. And I’m happy for you guys too.”

She smiled at me, then went back over to her boyfriend. The two of them kissed and started working with their weapons again.

Another hour passed, and we were still grabbing artifacts from every part of the library and passing them out to whoever wanted one.

Finally, though, we stripped the library bare, everyone had all the weapons and artifacts they could wear and carry, and there wasn’t anything else left to do but wait. I was sitting at a table with Rory, Rachel, and Grandma Frost. Nyx was back in the office complex with Nickamedes, where she would be safe. My other friends were roaming around the library.

We hadn’t said much, but I was glad they were here with me. It made me feel better about things, like we might actually have a chance to win the looming battle after all.

But it wasn’t long before I realized that all the kids and even some of the adults were staring at and whispering about me, the way they always did.

“The Gypsy girl will get us through this . . .” “She won’t let the Reapers win . . .”

“Surely, she has to have some sort of plan . . .”

That last hushed comment made me grimace. Right now, the only plan I had was to try to kill as many Reapers as I could and not die myself. Other than that, well, I was open to suggestions. But I couldn’t tell any of them that. They were already frightened enough. We all were.

“You should go talk to them,” Rory said, hearing the same comments and whispers.

I looked at her. “Why? What good would that do? They all know what we’re up against. They don’t need me to spell it out for them again. Or to remind them how we’re probably going to lose. And die.”

She shrugged. “Because you’re their hero, and that’s what heroes do.”

I shook my head. “I’m nobody’s hero. Trust me on that. I’m just a girl who is always in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Or maybe it’s the right place at the right time,” Rachel suggested. “You’ve come this far, Gwen. I didn’t know your mom, and I only met your dad a few times, but I think they’d both be very proud of you, for fighting against the Reapers the way you have.”

I shifted in my chair, uncomfortable with her words. I’d never really known my dad, Tyr, so I had no idea what he would or wouldn’t think, but I couldn’t help but wonder whether or not my mom would be proud of me. She’d been Nike’s Champion before me, and she’d done a lot of good, including keeping the Helheim Dagger hidden from the Reapers for years. But she’d also stopped being Nike’s Champion, and she’d withdrawn from the mythological world. My mom hadn’t wanted me to be a part of it, but I’d been sucked into it anyway. “Rachel’s right,” Grandma Frost chimed in. “Grace would be so proud of you, pumpkin. And Rory’s right too. You should go talk to your friends. Let them know that you’re going to do the best you can for them. It’ll

help. I know it will.”

I looked at her, wondering if she was getting another vision of the future, maybe even of my future, but her violet eyes were clear and firmly focused on me. So I nodded, got up, and did what she and Rory had suggested.

I went from one table to the next, talking to all of the kids in turn, and even a few of the adults, asking how they were, joking about how we were all getting out of classes and homework assignments today, and making other small talk. Just trying to lighten the mood and get everyone to take a collective breath before the Reapers arrived. I didn’t know that it helped, but at least it took everyone’s minds off the coming battle for a few minutes, including mine.

But all too soon, I’d made my rounds, and I found myself standing behind the checkout counter, looking out over the library. In some ways, it seemed like a typical evening. Students sitting at the study tables or clustered around the coffee cart. The soft murmurs of conversations. The constant squeak-squeak-squeak of sneakers on the marble floor. The faint, musty smell of the books permeating everything.

But in so many other ways, it was completely different. All of the kids with their weapons, fingering the sharp edges of the blades. Everyone glancing nervously toward the closed doors, as if they expected the Reapers to storm inside at any second. Everyone flinching, jumping, and jerking at every little sound, no matter how small or innocent it was.

There was nothing we could do but wait. So I went over to another table, where Daphne was sitting with Carson. They’d been my very first friends at Mythos, and it felt right, sitting with them here, now, at what could be the end—of everything.