Midnight Frost (Mythos Academy #5)(14)
Author: Jennifer Estep

"Gwendolyn," Nickamedes said, waving his hand at me. "Come here, please."

I sighed and looked at Vic, then Oliver, then Nyx. "Great. Not only is that boy dead, but now I’m probably going to get another lecture from Nickamedes about ruining the peace and quiet of his precious library."

Oliver grinned at me. "That does sort of seem to be your thing, Gypsy."

I punched him in the shoulder as I passed. "Shut up, Spartan."

I walked over to Nickamedes. He murmured something into his phone, then snapped it shut and put it down on the counter. He reached up and wiped a bit of sweat off his forehead, as though he were hot.

"I just got off the phone with Aurora," he said, referring to Professor Metis. His voice took on a harsh, raspy note. "She’s on her way over here. What happened? What tipped you off that boy was a Reaper? And did you really have to chase him through the middle of the library?"

I sighed. There it was. The beginning of the lecture I knew was coming. There was nothing to do now but listen to him, so I went around the counter, slid Vic back into his scabbard, and propped the sword up next to Nyx’s basket.

Nickamedes drew in a breath. "Because I have to say that not only did you upset your fellow students, but you also . . ."

And it went on from there. How I’d disturbed the peaceful, studious atmosphere of the library. How I’d frightened the other students. How I’d put my classmates in jeopardy by chasing after the Reaper instead of quietly alerting someone that I suspected there was a bad guy in the library.

"And most important, you didn’t wait for me," Nickamedes said. "I would have come and helped you if only you’d waited – "

The librarian stopped in mid-sentence. I kept staring down at the checkout counter, rubbing my thumb over a rough spot in the wood. I’d learned it was better to keep my mouth shut until Nickamedes got done lecturing me. To let him get it all out of his system at once. Like Daphne, his bark was almost always worse than his bite.

But instead of picking up his train of thought and telling me how reckless I’d been once again, Nickamedes stood there, still and silent. I tapped my finger on the counter, wanting him to get on with things. Because in addition to his lecture, I’d probably have to listen to several more, including one from Alexei. The Bogatyr would be upset that he hadn’t been around to protect me from Jason and his poisonous plot –

Nickamedes sucked in another breath. I thought he was finally going to start up his rant again, but once more, he didn’t say anything.

"Gwendolyn . . ." he finally said, his voice even harsher and raspier than before. "You’ll have to excuse me. I don’t feel . . . very well . . ."

My gaze flicked up to his face. I noticed more beads of sweat on his forehead, the ruddy flush in his cheeks, and the faint, upset gurgle of his stomach. His blue eyes seemed dull and unfocused, and he was swaying from side to side, as though he was having a hard time keeping his balance.

"Nickamedes?" I asked.

The librarian collapsed without another word.

"Nickamedes? Nickamedes!"

I rushed forward, and dropped to my knees beside the sick librarian.

"Nickamedes? What’s wrong? Are you okay – "

My gaze caught on a piece of plastic that had rolled underneath the counter – the bottle of water I’d slapped out of the librarian’s hand when I’d been chasing after Jason. The bottle was empty now, the water having pooled underneath the counter. A sick feeling filled my stomach, and I turned back to Nickamedes.

"The water," I asked, leaning forward and shaking his shoulders to try to get him to talk to me. "Did you drink any of your water in the last few minutes?"

"I just . . . had a sip . . ." he mumbled, his head lolling to one side.

Poisoned – Nickamedes had been poisoned.

He must have taken a drink from his own spiked water bottle while I was running down to the first floor and through the stacks. I’d been so focused on trying to stop Jason that I’d never considered someone else – Nickamedes – might drink the poisoned water meant for me.

For a moment, my mind went completely, utterly, horribly blank. There was nothing but shock – and growing fear. Then, the moment passed, the gears in my mind started grinding together again, and all I could think about was the terrible thing that had happened – because of me.

"Metis!" I screamed. "Somebody get Metis!"

"Gwen?" Oliver asked, peering over the counter, still holding Nyx. "What’s wrong?"

"Nickamedes drank the poisoned water. Go get Metis! Right now!"

Oliver’s eyes widened, and he hurried away. All I could do was lean over Nickamedes again.

The librarian looked at me. "Not . . . your fault . . ." he rasped.

I shook my head. "Don’t try to talk. Save your strength. Metis will be here any second, and she’ll fix you."

Nickamedes gave me a weak smile. "Not much . . . she can do . . . against poison . . ."

I bit my lip to keep from screaming. Instead, I made myself crouch there and talk to Nickamedes, telling him how happy he should be that I’d just chased the Reaper through the library this time, instead of knocking over some of the stacks like I’d done in the past. The librarian stared at me, but his eyes seemed to get brighter and glassier with every passing second. I didn’t know if he was hearing me or not, but I kept up my constant stream of chatter.

Fabric whispered, and I looked up from Nickamedes’s face long enough to see Coach Ajax ordering Aiko and the other Protectorate guards to form a semicircle around the counter, face outward, and draw their weapons as if more Reapers might storm into the library. But they wouldn’t – the Reapers had already done all the damage they needed to tonight. Bitter laughter bubbled up in my throat like acid, but I managed to swallow it.

I don’t know how long I huddled there, babbling nonsense to Nickamedes, but finally – finally – I heard footsteps hurrying across the floor. A second later, Metis was there, along with Daphne, Carson, and Alexei. Metis dropped to her knees on the other side of Nickamedes and took her hand in his. A second later, a golden glow enveloped them both as Metis channeled her healing power into the sick librarian.

Daphne put her hands on my shoulders and pulled me up and out of the way.

"C’mon, Gwen," she said. "Let Metis do her thing."

Daphne kept her arm around my shoulders, and we watched Metis work on Nickamedes. The librarian didn’t have any visible injuries so I couldn’t actually see his wounds knit together and disappear like I did when Metis used her magic to heal cuts and scrapes. The only thing visible was the golden glow that flowed from Metis into Nickamedes and back again.