Dark Frost (Mythos Academy #3)(48)
Author: Jennifer Estep

Daphne and I made plans to meet up later at the library, and she promised to bring Carson along for backup. I also texted Vivian to meet me at the library so I could give her the ring. Then, I went to my dorm room, grabbed Vic from his spot on the wall, and told him what was going on.

"Well, it’s about bloody time you discovered the Reaper girl’s real identity," the sword said. "I’m looking forward to sinking my teeth into Lucretia again."

Vic made a chomping sound with his mouth. I frowned and held him out at arm’s length. Did the sword even have teeth? I’d never thought to look, and I wasn’t so sure I wanted to now.

While Vic crowed on and on and on about how he was going to cut Lucretia to ribbons, I sank down onto the floor and started petting Nott. Maybe it was just my Gypsy gift, but the wolf looked like she’d doubled in size since I’d seen her this morning. Her eyes were duller, too, as though she was still tired, even though she’d been in my room all day resting. What was wrong with her? Why was she always so exhausted?

"How are you feeling, girl?" I murmured.

Nott thumped her tail and leaned into my touch. I closed my eyes and concentrated. Once again, I could feel that spark of life in her stomach, the pup waiting to be born, although I had no idea when that might happen or what to do to help her. With everything that had been going on, I’d kind of forgotten Nott was a mom-to-be. I’d have to call Grandma later and get some advice on how to make the wolf more comfortable. Grandma had been raised on a farm. She’d know what to do. She always did.

I made sure Nott had enough water and gave her all the meat I’d been able to get from the dining hall at lunch today. After she ate, the wolf curled up in her nest of blankets and went to sleep. I petted her a final time before grabbing Vic. I left the door open a crack so Nott could get out and have more room to roam around if she wanted to, then walked across campus to the library.

Once more, I stopped outside the building, staring at the gryphons that crouched on either side of the entrance. It seemed like I was seeing the gryphons everywhere I went these days. First, in my mom’s diary, then in the architecture book I’d found, and now here again in real life. If only the Helheim Dagger was as easy to find.

As I stared at the gryphons, I wondered what I always did-what would happen if I actually touched one of the statues, if my psychometry would somehow make it actually spring to life and attack me the way I’d seen it do in my dream last night.

I looked around at the other kids moving in and out of the library, laughing, talking, and leaning against the other statues like it was no big deal. The other students sat next to and even on the gryphons and other stone creatures on campus all the time. Surely, they wouldn’t bite me … or whatever.

Suck it up, Gwen. That’s what Daphne would tell me if she was here, and my friend was right. I’d been creeped out by the gryphons and other statues ever since I’d first started going to Mythos. Enough was enough. It was time for me to realize the statues were just made of stone-nothing else. Determined to put my weird phobia to rest once and for all, I reached out with my fingers to touch one of the gryphons-

"Late again, I see," a snide voice murmured behind me. "Usually, you actually make it inside the library before you start wasting time."

I sighed and dropped my hand. "Yes, Nickamedes?"

The librarian strode up beside me, carrying several books. "Here," he said, dumping the books into my arms. "Make yourself useful and go shelve those. I’ve got another load to bring over from the English-history building."

"Yes, master," I muttered, but the librarian had already turned and walked away, so he didn’t hear me.

I thought about putting the books down on the stairs and going through with my plan to touch the gryphon before I went into the library to work my shift-

"Now, Gwendolyn!" Nickamedes called out from across the quad.

I sighed, juggled the books so they’d fit better in my arms, and headed inside before he could yell at me again.

The evening passed the way it always did. I checked out books, helped students look up others, and even got some of my own homework done on the side. I finally decided to start writing the architecture essay for Metis’s class, and I scanned through the gryphon book, looking for information I could use.

But I couldn’t concentrate. Over and over again, my eyes kept going back to the other book in my bag-my mom’s diary. Something about the diary was slowly working its way up from the bottom of my brain. I knew better than to rush it, though. That would only give me a headache, and I’d already had plenty of those this week.

Daphne stepped into the library at about six, along with Carson. The Valkyrie came over to the checkout desk, like she was just hanging out a second. I quickly finished eating the cherry granola bar I’d bought from Raven’s cart earlier and polished off the rest of my bottled water.

"You ready?" she said in a low voice.

I nodded. "Yep, I’ve got the ring right here, and Vivian just texted me to say she’s on her way. So hang back, and we’ll see what happens."

Daphne nodded and moved over to a study table where Carson was waiting. I’d just gone back to my architecture book when Logan walked into the library.

The sight of him took my breath away, despite how cold and distant he’d been this morning during weapons training. I expected him to go sit at one of the study tables or maybe get a snack from the coffee cart, but to my surprise, Logan headed over to me, as if I was the person he’d come here to see all along. The thought made my heart start hammering in my chest, but I told myself not to get my hopes up.

"Gypsy girl."

"Spartan."

We stared at each other for several seconds before Logan sighed.

"Look, I’ve been thinking about the other day, and I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I know that your having the kind of magic you do isn’t your fault. It’s just … frustrating. That you can know all these things about me with just a brush of your fingers. It scares me."

"I’m sorry," I said. "I wish I could turn it off-for you."

His lips twitched up into the barest hint of a smile. "I know, but I didn’t have to be such a dick about it either. Or act the way I did this morning in the gym. I was wondering if we could just start over and rewind to how things were at the coliseum before the Reapers attacked. Do you think we could do that?"

I looked into his blue, blue eyes, and I knew I would do anything for him-even forgive him. "I’d love that, Spartan. I really would."

He grinned, and suddenly, everything was right in my world again. I wanted nothing more than to lean across the checkout counter and hug him tight, but I forced myself to be cool and make things work this time. As long as Logan was hiding something, we were still on shaky ground. I wanted the Spartan to tell me his secret in his own way, in his own time, and I didn’t want to do anything to mess up what we had between us until then.