"Bloody Reapers," the sword muttered. "Kill them all... ."
Every once in a while, Vic's eye would twitch, like he was chasing after the Reapers that haunted his dreams. For once, the sword's bloodthirsty attitude made me smile. It was nice to know I could always count on Vic's being, well, Vic. Even when he was asleep.
Since I couldn't go back to sleep, I got up and dug my mom's diary out of my messenger bag. I'd left the bag in the academy prison when I'd chased after Preston and the Reaper girl, but Metis had brought it to me. I snapped on a light and flipped through the crinkled pages, but even my mom's words couldn't bring me any comfort tonight.
I put the diary aside, but there was another book in my bag-the gryphon book I'd picked up last night in the library. The Use of Gryphons, Gargoyles, and Other Mythological Creatures in Architecture. Still remembering my strange dream of the statues stalking me, I opened the book, settled down under my comforter, and started reading.
For the most part, the book was super, super boring. If you were into architecture or old buildings, yeah, it might be cool, but to me, it was a total snooze. After a few eye-glazing pages, I gave up reading and just flipped through and looked at the photos, which were way more interesting. Basically, the book featured pictures of the creature-feature statues on famous buildings in the mythological world. I didn't recognize most of the structures, but the Crius Coliseum was included-and so was the Library of Antiquities. Lots of photos of the library's statues were shown. Of those, the two gryphons by the front steps got the most space, having their own two-page spread in the book.
Height, weight, type of stone used. All that and more about the gryphons was chronicled in dull little info boxes. The statues were estimated to be seven feet tall and weigh in at a whopping three tons each. Only seven feet tall? Really? The statues always seemed so much bigger to me. Even in the photos, they looked larger than that, but I couldn't decide if it was just a trick of the light playing across the pages.
I sighed. I didn't know why I was wasting my time looking at the gryphons. They were just statues after all. The Helheim Dagger was what I was really after, even though I was no closer to finding it than when I'd first started. Not to mention the fact that the Reaper girl had beaten me twice this week, Preston was free, and Logan and Daphne weren't speaking to me.
Right now, I didn't feel like Nike's Champion. I didn't feel brave or strong or smart. I didn't feel like I'd done a single thing that had been worthwhile. I was just Gwen Frost, that Gypsy girl who always messed up.
Disgusted with myself, I put the book aside, snapped out the light, and brooded in the darkness.
Grandma Frost drove me back to the academy the next morning. Nott took up most of the backseat, her enormous gray head stuck out the window like she was just a regular dog out for a ride in the car. The wolf made me smile when absolutely nothing else had these past few days.
Before we'd left the house, I'd asked Grandma if she wanted me to leave Nott with her, to help protect her in case the Reaper girl or Preston came back to the house. Grandma Frost had stared at the Fenrir wolf, and she'd gotten that empty, glassy look in her violet eyes again.
"No," she'd murmured. "I think the wolf should go back to the academy with you, pumpkin. Nott came to you, not me. She belongs with you."
I said good-bye to Grandma Frost and snuck Nott back to my dorm room. Then, it was time for me to head to the gym for weapons training. Kenzie and Oliver were already there waiting for me-and so was Daphne.
The Valkyrie was sitting on the bleachers talking to the two Spartans, but she got to her feet as soon as she saw me. She was wearing one of her favorite pink argyle sweaters over a black skirt and black tights. She stalked over and stared at me a second, before lurching forward and giving me a bone-crushing hug.
"Daphne ... ," I wheezed, my back cracking. "I ... can't ... breathe... ."
"Oops. Sorry about that. How are you?" she asked, pulling back and giving me a critical once-over. "Oliver called me last night and told me what happened. I was going to call you, but I didn't know if you'd pick up or not because of what happened outside Metis's office yesterday."
I shrugged. "I'm okay, I guess. Metis healed the bumps and bruises I got fighting. My grandma's fine too-that's the most important thing. I still can't believe the Reaper girl managed to free Preston from the academy prison."
Daphne's eyes narrowed. "Do you have any idea how she did it?"
I shook my head. "Not a clue. But I opened the door, and there she was, larger than life, like she'd had every single one of the door codes and magic mumbo-jumbo passwords she needed to get past the locks. Even Metis isn't really sure how she managed it. And of course I was stupid enough to open the door to the prison for her. Apparently, that's why the sphinxes carved into the door didn't attack or do whatever they were supposed to do. That's what Metis said, anyway."
At my grandma's house, Metis had taken me aside and said that Preston's getting free wasn't my fault, that she should have stayed in the prison with me, especially since Raven hadn't been there. I'd realized that I wasn't really angry at the professor for leaving me alone. No, I was mostly upset at myself for not being strong and smart enough to stop Preston and the Reaper girl. Some Champion I was turning out to be.
"Tell me everything," the Valkyrie said, walking me over to one of the bleachers.
We sat there, and I told my best friend about Preston's getting free, his attacking my grandma, and how I'd raced to save her. I also told her all about Nott, since I hadn't mentioned the wolf and her reappearance to the Valkyrie yet.
"I, uh, got your calls," Daphne said, cringing a little. "I thought you were just calling to talk. Or maybe to yell at me for all the things I accused you of. If I'd known your grandma was in trouble, I would have picked up."
"I know," I said. "How are you? How do you feel about your magic? You could have told me, you know, that you were freaking out about being a healer. I would have listened."
"I know you would have listened," Daphne said in a low voice. "I just-I wanted someone to blame, you know? I wanted it to be someone's fault that my magic didn't turn out like I thought it would. That it's this instead."
The Valkyrie held up her hand and that rosy glow coated her palm again. I leaned over and touched my fingers to hers. Once again, I felt the healing power emanating from her.
I thought about what Metis had said about my own magic, about how I could maybe use my psychometry to tap into other people's powers. I don't know exactly how, but I reached out and gave a little yank with my mind, and I felt the tiniest bit of Daphne's magic pour into me.
It wasn't just that the Valkyrie's magic healed a person's body. There was also a soothing quality to it, which reminded me of the feeling I got whenever I was around Metis. Vic always claimed the professor's lectures put him to sleep, but to me, they were just calming. Even when Metis was talking about Reapers, Loki, and other horrible things, they seemed distant and far away. I got the same sort of soothing feeling from Daphne's magic. It was kind of funny, since the Valkyrie could be so quick to anger-
"Gwen?" Daphne asked, the glow on her palm dimming. "What are you doing?"
I dropped my fingers from hers, and the feel of her magic vanished. "Nothing. Just-nothing."
I didn't feel like explaining things to her, not when I was still trying to figure them out for myself. The Valkyrie closed her hand into a tight fist, and the rosy glow disappeared in a shower of pink sparks. The tiny flickers of magic cracked and hissed before slowly winking out one by one.
"I don't like it, but I guess I'm stuck with it," Daphne said, shaking her head. "Me, a healer? Can you imagine it?"
I could, maybe more than my friend realized. There was so much strength in her, so much goodness. Now, she had a way to share her power with others. "I think your magic is amazing, and I'm sure you're going to do amazing things with it."
Daphne stared at me, her lips splitting into a wide grin. We didn't say anything for a few moments. Finally, the Valkyrie cleared her throat.
"Anyway, I'm sorry that I've been such a total bitch this week," she said. "It was just Carson's getting stabbed and my magic's quickening and everything. It made me a little cranky."
I'd say cranky was an understatement, but I let it slide. I'd been so wrapped up in my own problems that I hadn't exactly been the greatest friend, either. "That's okay. That's what best friends are for, right? So we can be cranky together."
Daphne gave me another grin, then playfully punched me in the shoulder, her Valkyrie strength almost making me fall off the bleacher. We both started laughing, and just like that, everything was right between us again.
We were still talking and joking around when the door to the gym opened-and Logan stepped inside.
Chapter 19
Logan strode toward me, and my heart rose up in my chest. By now, the Spartan was sure to have heard what had happened with my grandma, Preston, and the Reaper girl. I hoped he, well, I didn't know exactly what I hoped. I was just glad he was here.
I got to my feet and started to smile at the Spartan-until I realized that he was trailed once more by his first-year student entourage. The kids, including several more girls than before, hurried after the Spartan, like groupie fans trailing after a rock star. I rolled my eyes.
Logan said something to one of the first-year guys, who herded everyone else over to the bleachers so they could watch us practice. Only I didn't know if we were even training today. I hung back, holding Vic, and waited for Logan to make the first move.
"Hey," the Spartan called out, going over and grabbing a sword from one of the racks of weapons.
"Hey," I said, playing it cool.
On the bleachers behind me, Daphne let out a loud snort. "Oh, just go ahead and kiss and make up already," the Valkyrie said. "You know you both want to."
I would have liked nothing better. But we couldn't kiss-not without my flashing on Logan and learning the rest of his secret. Finding out what he was so afraid to tell me, the deep, dark thing he thought would change my feelings for him. I could see the same thought filling the Spartan's eyes. That, yeah, maybe he would have liked to kiss me, but he didn't want to give up his secret just to touch me. It hurt, knowing his secret was more important to him than I was. It hurt more than I ever could have imagined it would.
Tears pricked my eyes, but I blinked them back. Once again, my Gypsy gift was what was keeping us apart. I'd always loved my magic and the secrets it revealed to me, but for the first time, I wondered what it would be like not to have it. To be able to just let go and not worry about whom I was touching and what I might see. To just step into Logan's arms without any kind of fear of learning that he didn't care about me as much as I did him or the secrets he just didn't want to share.
The Spartan swung his sword from side to side, getting a feel for the weapon as he walked over to my position in the center of one of the mats. Logan stopped in front of me. Even now, when I knew how angry he was at me, my heart thudded at the sight of him. Black hair, blue eyes, strong body. All that was missing was his usual teasing grin.
I smiled at him, hoping he'd smile back and I'd know that everything was going to be all right between us. Instead, Logan's eyes were ice-cold as he raised his sword and lightly kissed the blade against my weapon.
"Ready, Gypsy girl?" he asked in a neutral voice.
My heart quivered with pain, but I nodded and tightened my grip on Vic.
For the next hour, we sparred, with Logan mock killing me again and again. Too bad the deadly Spartan couldn't put a dagger in my feelings for him as well.
Logan left the gym as soon as we finished training, followed by his entourage. I stood in front of the bleachers and watched him push through one of the doors. The Spartan didn't look back at me-not even once.
"Don't worry, Gwen," Oliver said as he packed up his things. "He'll come around. You'll see."
I thought of the coldness in Logan's eyes this morning and the things he'd said to me the other night. I didn't think there was anything I could do or say to Logan to make him forgive me. Not this time.
"Gwen?" Oliver said.
"Yeah, I'm sure you're right. Logan will come around sooner or later." I forced myself to smile at my friend, even though the lie burned my tongue like acid.
The rest of the day passed by like it always did. Classes, lectures, homework assignments, the usual froufrou food in the dining hall. Finally, the last bell rang after myth-history class. Metis glanced in my direction like she wanted to come over and make sure I was doing okay, but I didn't have time for the professor today. I had a hunch that I wanted to check out-and unfortunately, Daphne insisted on going with me.
I brushed my brown hair back off my face and jiggled my hand, shaking off a stray spark of her magic that had decided to cling to my skin instead of winking out. A second later, that princess pink spark was replaced by a dozen more. Daphne always gave off more magic when she was nervous, worried, or upset.
You'd think she'd never broken into someone's room before.
And she thought I was a freak. Please. I could totally keep my cool when the occasion called for a little breaking and entering. And blackmail. And, well, several things that weren't exactly on the up and up. My Gypsy gift and all the Bad, Bad Things I'd seen with it had made me a little jaded that way. Okay, okay, totally jaded that way.
"Will you hurry up with that already?" Daphne hissed. "She could come back any second. I don't see why we're even doing this in the first place."