Crimson Frost

Nike gave me a sad smile. "Close, but not quite. Your friends are working very hard right now to save your life. Focus, and you'll see."

I concentrated and felt a soothing warmth flowing through my body. I looked down and realized that a familiar, rosy golden glow covered my chest, centered over my heart.

Come on, Gwen! I thought I heard Daphne scream, although her voice sounded faint and far away. Suck it up! Don't you dare die on me!

"Daphne's trying to heal me," I whispered.

Nike nodded. "And your Professor Metis too."

The goddess walked over and sat down on top of the checkout counter. No, that wasn't quite right. She didn't seem to walk or even glide as much as float, as if there were some force all around her propelling her movements with easy, precise grace. Still, seeing her perched on the counter and swinging her legs back and forth like a kid made me smile.

"You know, Nickamedes would have a fit you if he saw you sitting on the checkout counter. I did it once, and he yelled at me for five minutes."

Nike smiled back at me. "I won't tell him if you won't."

She patted the counter beside her, and I walked over and hopped up onto it, my movements far less graceful and effortless than hers had been. Sitting next to the goddess made me aware of the power that rolled off her in continuous waves. That cold, beautiful, terrible power that made the goddess who and what she was-victory itself.

We sat there in silence for several minutes, although I kept sneaking looks at the goddess.

"Did I-did I save Logan?" I finally asked, unable to bear the quiet any longer.

Nike nodded. "Yes, you broke the spell the Reapers had placed on the Spartan boy. He is himself once more. Physically, he should be fine in a few days."

"And otherwise?"

She shrugged. "It is a very extreme thing, forcing a soul into another body, especially one as foul and rotten as Loki's. The god himself might not have been in the auditorium, but the Spartan boy was still linked to Loki. No doubt he saw and felt things that he wished he didn't-horrible things. He will have to deal with that. Plus, the boy hurt you. He will have more guilt and pain over that than anything else."

"But Logan didn't mean to do it," I protested. "He didn't mean to hurt me. He just wasn't . . . himself."

Nike nodded. "I imagine he'll come to see that-in time."

The way she paused before she said the last two words made me shiver. In time? What did that mean? The warmth in my chest dimmed, and I hugged my arms around myself to ward off the chill I felt creeping up my spine.

"So what happens now?" I asked. "Will the Reapers try the transformation again on someone else?"

She shook her head. "The ritual can only be attempted once on a person, and Logan was the best candidate the Reapers had-the only candidate, really. The Reapers knew they only had one shot at him, which was why they had his stepmother watch over him all these years. Besides, they've used up almost all of Apate's jewels from the library, and there aren't enough left to attempt the ritual again. So you don't have to worry about that. Loki is trapped in his own ruined body-for now."

The way she said that made me shiver as well, but I focused on the other questions I wanted answers to.

"Why wasn't Loki there today? At the auditorium?"

"The Reapers didn't want to risk bringing him out of hiding if there was a chance that the ritual might fail-or that you might find a way to save your friends," Nike said. "I'm proud of you, Gwendolyn. You saved many lives today, and you kept Loki from gaining more power. You did well, my Champion."

I thought of the dead bodies that had been piled on the stage, and all the others who would have been hurt or killed during the battle. I didn't know that I deserved Nike's praise, but at least I'd saved Logan. Still, I knew the goddess wouldn't have come to me without a reason.

"So what happens next?" I asked. "What will the Reapers do now that the transformation ritual has failed?"

Nike looked out across the library, her eyes distant and far away. In that moment, she reminded me of Grandma Frost, having one of her visions of the future.

"Since Loki is still trapped in his own body, he and his Reapers will move on to the next part of his plan," she said. "They will go after objects that they think will help them win the coming war. Weapons, armor, and other artifacts with a variety of magic. Some with obvious power, and some without. We need to prevent that from happening, Gwendolyn."

The goddess turned her gaze to me once more. "You need to prevent that from happening."

I'd figured as much since stopping the Reapers from doing Bad, Bad Things was sort of becoming a regular gig of mine. I just hoped I was up to the task once again.

"Okay," I said. "So tell me what artifacts you want me to find and where they are."

She shook her head. "You know I can't tell you that. I can only guide you."

Yeah, yeah, the gods weren't supposed to meddle in mortal affairs, but that didn't stop them from getting their Champions to do it for them. I sighed again. I'd figured she'd say something like that, but hey, it didn't hurt to try.

"You know, we really need to find a way around you only being able to tell me certain things. There's a loophole for everything else when it comes to magic. Why not this? Because, honestly, I would love a map or a list or a picture or whatever you had in mind . . ."

My voice trailed off. Wait a second. I had seen a picture-the fresco on the ceiling-the one with all the people, weapons, and creatures on it. The one that was always cloaked with shadows, the one I'd never been able to see before.

I eyed the goddess, but she just smiled, her face calm and serene. Stupid magic loopholes. I was really starting to hate them. Still, I persisted.

"Okay, okay, I get it. At least, I think I do. But in case you've forgotten, I didn't do such a great job protecting the Helheim Dagger," I said. "I don't want to find the artifacts only to let the Reapers take them away from me like Vivian did with the dagger."

"That is always a risk," Nike replied. "And it is not just a matter of finding and protecting the artifacts. It's making sure they get into the right hands as well. In a way, that's more important than whether or not the Reapers find the artifacts first. Weapons and armor may have power, may have magic, but in the end, that is all they are-weapons and armor. It is the people and creatures who wield them and their intentions that really matter. It is their free will that makes the ultimate difference."

I sighed. There she went speaking in riddles about free will again, something Metis always talked about in myth-history class. I had free will, and I made my own choices, which was what the Reapers wanted to take away from me by enslaving us all. I got it. Really, I did. Lesson learned.

Still, all the talk about artifacts and people made me think about my friends and the items they'd picked up in the Crius Coliseum a few weeks ago.

"Is that why Daphne has Sigyn's bow?" I asked."And why Carson has the Horn of Roland? They tried to give the artifacts back to Metis, but they just keep reappearing in their dorm rooms. The bow seems pretty straightforward, but Carson doesn't have a clue what the horn does. He's played it and played it, and nothing much has happened, except for him giving Loki a headache that night at the Garm gate."

"The Celt will know what to do with the horn when the time comes, and so will the Valkyrie with the bow," Nike said. "Just as you will know what to do with the artifacts you find, who to give them to and when."

"And what about Loki?" I asked. "I'm assuming I'm still supposed to find some way to kill him. Is there an artifact for that too?"

I'd meant my words as a joke, but Nike just stared at me, her twilight gaze steady and serious.

"There is," I whispered. "There's an artifact that can actually kill Loki. What? What is it? Where is it? How can I use it to kill him? Please, you have to tell me-"

Nike arched her eyebrows and tipped up her head. I followed her gaze and realized that I could see the fresco again. A shimmer of silver caught my eye, centered on the image of, well, me. With one hand, I was holding Vic, but there was something in my other hand, something silver, something that looked like an arrow, or maybe a small spear-

I blinked, and shadows covered the ceiling once more. "But what is it? You have to tell me what that is-"

Nike held up her hand, cutting me off, and cocked her head to one side, as if she was listening to something. I didn't hear anything, but the goddess slid off the counter and turned so that she was standing in front of me.

"And now, it's time for me to go," she said. "And for you to return to your friends. Can't you feel it? They've done an excellent job of healing you."

I pressed my hand to my chest. That thin line still slashed over my heart, but I realized I no longer felt cold. I looked down and realized my whole body was glowing the same warm, rosy color as Daphne's magic, mixed with the golden tinge of Metis's healing power.

"So I'm going to make it after all?"

Nike smiled. "There was never any doubt of that, Gwendolyn. Self-sacrifice is a very powerful thing, especially if you do it of your own free will. Remember that."

The goddess leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, as was her custom whenever she said good-bye to me. As always, a wave of her power blasted over me, even stronger than before, one so cold and fierce it made my breath frost in the air between us.

"Good-bye, Gwendolyn," Nike said, stepping back, her body melting into this bright, silvery light. "Be well and brave until we meet again."

I held up my hand, trying to keep her in sight, but the light was too intense, and I had to turn away from the glare.

When I looked up, the silvery glow was gone-and so was the goddess.

Chapter 30

My eyes snapped open once again.

For a moment, I thought I was still dreaming, still in that weird not-quite-a-world with Nike. But the ceiling here wasn't domed, and I wasn't looking at the mysterious fresco inside the Library of Antiquities. No, the ceiling here was covered with plain old white paint, and I realized I was in my bedroom at my Grandma Frost's house.

Something tickled my nose, and I sneezed. A second later, a warm, wet tongue licked my cheek. I opened my eyes to see Nyx standing beside me on my bed. The wolf pup let out a happy yip and licked my cheek again, her tail thumping against my ribs.

And Nyx wasn't the only one here. A shower of pink sparks dripped onto me, and a familiar face loomed into view over mine.

"Gwen!" Daphne shrieked. "You're awake!"

The Valkyrie leaned down, pulled me up, and hugged me tight, cracking my back like she always did. Nyx growled and tried to wiggle in between us.

"It's about bloody time," another voice chimed in.

I looked over at Vic, who was propped up on my nightstand. His voice might have been harsh, but his eye was bright, and he was smiling.

"What do you mean by that?" I mumbled, my mouth as dry as paper.

Daphne drew back and loosened her grip. "He means that you've been unconscious for more than a day now."

"I told you she'd wake up this afternoon, didn't I?" Grandma Frost breezed into the room, the coins on her scarves jingling together in a sweet, soft symphony.

She sat on the other side of the bed and smoothed down my frizzy hair. "How are you feeling, pumpkin?"

"Fine," I said. "A little thirsty and wondering what happened, but other than that, fine."

She nodded. "Good. I'll bring you some water and tell the others you're awake."

Nyx settled herself in my lap so I could pet her. Carson came up to my bedroom next, along with Oliver and Coach Ajax. Metis and Nickamedes squeezed into the room as well. One after another, they all told me how glad they were that I was okay, but something seemed . . . off. None of them would look me in the eye for more than a second, and I wondered why.

"What happened after I . . . did what I did?" I asked when I had gulped down the water Grandma brought me.

Daphne snorted. "You mean after you let Logan stab you in the chest like a complete idiot?"

Carson winced. "Daphne . . ."

"What?" she snapped, sparks of magic crackling in the air around her. "We were all there. We all saw her do it, and we all saw Logan run her through with that sword like she was just another enemy he needed to kill."

Metis put a hand on the volatile Valkyrie's shoulder. After a moment, Daphne sighed.

"Fine," the Valkyrie muttered. "You tell her the rest of it."

Metis nodded. "Thanks to Morgan, Alexei, and Geraldine, Ajax and I got free, along with Sergei and Inari. While we battled the Reapers, Daphne and Carson got the students off the stage, while Oliver and Kenzie protected them. Eventually, the members of the Protectorate took control of the fight. We killed several Reapers and managed to capture several more."

I could hear the disappointed tone in her voice, and I was pretty sure I knew what she was going to say next.

"Unfortunately, we were not able to capture Agrona and Vivian," Metis said, confirming my suspicions.

I sighed. "What happened?"

"We chased them outside, but the two of them got on to Vivian's roc. Even though the creature was injured, it still managed to fly away with them," Metis said. "We don't know where they are now, but the members of the Pantheon are out looking for them."

"And we will find them," Ajax said. "Sooner or later, we'll find them, and they'll pay for what they've done." ns class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">