Crimson Frost Part 7

I stepped behind the long checkout counter that divided the library in two and slung my messenger bag down into its usual spot. I turned to Alexei and pointed to a stool at the far end of the counter.

"You can sit over there," I said. "It'll be more comfortable than standing around while I work."

Instead of moving over to the stool, he crossed his arms over his chest and took up a spot by the door that led into the gla.s.s complex where the librarians had their offices. Definitely a silent, stubborn shadow. Ah, well. I'd tried.

I put Alexei out of my mind as I plopped down onto my own stool. A few seconds later, a door behind me squeaked open, and Nickamedes stepped out of the office complex. The librarian looked at me, then did a double take, as if he was surprised to see me.

"Gwendolyn? What are you doing here?" He looked down and checked his watch. "It's not even five o'clock. You're early. You are never early."

I bit my tongue to keep from sniping at him. I didn't always show up exactly on time for my library s.h.i.+fts. Okay, okay, so I was almost always late, but only because I snuck off campus to go see Grandma Frost. I got here eventually. But apparently, my being on time was more of a shock than I'd realized because he kept right on talking about it.

"Not once, in all the months you've been working here, have you ever been early. On time, occasionally. Late, excessively. But never, ever early." Nickamedes's eyes narrowed. "What are you up to?"

My jaw clenched. Even when I did the right thing, he still gave me grief over it. Sometimes, I thought the librarian and I were just destined to disagree.

"I thought you might need some extra help today," I said through gritted teeth. "But if you don't want me here, I can always leave and came back later. Much later, like I normally do. Maybe I'll be so late that I won't show up until tomorrow."

The librarian frowned. "Well, if you want to come in early today, I suppose it will make up for one of the times you've been late in the past. But only one. I keep a record, you know."

Of course he did. Nickamedes was just that kind of obsessive control freak. Despite the fact that there were other librarians, Nickamedes was almost always here working. I wondered if he ever took a day off. I doubted it. Someone might shelve a book in the wrong place if he wasn't here to watch over everything.

His tone was just as snarky as mine was, but after a moment his features softened a bit. "And if any of the students have any particular problems this evening, you come and get me immediately. Do you understand?"

I nodded. I knew exactly what problems he was talking about-the ones everybody had with me now.

"And you." He fixed Alexei with a stern stare. "Your job is to protect Gwendolyn, not just watch her like a hawk. I suggest you do that, rather than standing by like a rock as you've been doing. The Protectorate isn't the only one with eyes and ears around campus."

Alexei flushed a little. "I'm just doing what the Protectorate has told me to do."

Nickamedes arched a black eyebrow. "Really? Because I thought the Protectorate was in the business of protecting the students here-not letting them be hurt, abused, and bullied by their cla.s.smates."

So the librarian had heard how the other kids had been treating me. No surprise there. You'd have to be blind not to see the anger simmering in everyone's eyes whenever they looked at me. Still, Nickamedes's concern touched me. The librarian and I didn't always get along, but I knew that he cared about me in his own way.

"I'm fine," I said. "I can fight my own battles. That's what Champions do, right?"

Nickamedes stared at me. After a moment, he nodded. "That you can, Gwendolyn. But sometimes it doesn't hurt to have someone watching your back. Someone who actually cares."

He gave Alexei another pointed look, then went back into the office complex.

Hot tears p.r.i.c.ked my eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time today. Now, even Nickamedes was being nice to me, which told me exactly how much trouble I was in. I wondered what would happen tomorrow during my trial and how the Protectorate would ultimately rule. Would they agree that I'd been fooled by Vivian? Or would they think that I'd helped her? That I'd freed Loki on purpose?

I didn't know the answers to my questions, and I knew that worrying would just drive me crazy. Well, crazier. So I logged on to one of the library computers, determined to get to work and not think about the Protectorate, Vivian, or Loki.

As I glanced out at the study tables in front of the checkout counter, I realized that all the students were looking at me once again. I looked from one face to another, and they all met my gaze with hard, flat stares, anger glimmering in their eyes and radiating off their bodies.

I sighed. It was going to be a long, long night.

I spent the next hour sitting at the checkout counter-alone. No one came over to find out where a book was shelved. No one asked me to track down reference material. No one needed any help at all. Instead, the other students just sat and stared at me, whispering to each other. In a way, it was worse than it had been at breakfast, since the library was one of the places where kids came to Hang Out and Be Seen.

Just as many students were here as had been in the dining hall this morning, and with me sitting behind the checkout counter, it was almost like I was on display for everyone to glare at. More than a few kids walked by the counter and muttered curses at me under their breath. Some were bolder and spoke loudly enough for everyone at the study tables to hear.

Apparently, it became some sort of game because after the kids pa.s.sed by me, they went back to their seats, high-fiving and fist-b.u.mping with their friends, before they all dissolved into fits of laughter. My cheeks burned, but I ignored them as best I could. Behind me, Alexei stood against the wall, his face as expressionless as ever. He could give Coach Ajax a run for his money in the stoic department.

Since no one was going to come over to the counter to ask me for help, I decided to shelve books. That way, I wouldn't be a sitting duck, and the other kids would actually have to get up and make an effort in order to glare at me. So I grabbed one of the metal carts and pushed it back into the stacks. The wheels squeak-squeak-squeaked the whole time, but I didn't care. All I wanted to do right now was get away from the other kids and their anger. At least for a few minutes.

But there was no escaping Alexei. He followed me into the stacks and stayed right behind me, just like always.

"Geez," I muttered. "Don't you ever take a break?"

Alexei arched an eyebrow, but he didn't say anything. Of course he didn't. I was a dangerous Reaper criminal. His job was to watch me, not talk to me.

I ignored Alexei as best I could as I pushed the cart through the stacks. I actually didn't mind shelving books because it gave me an opportunity to look at all the artifacts on display.

The Library of Antiquities was full of, well, antiquities. Armor, weapons, jewelry, clothes, and more that G.o.ds, G.o.ddesses, warriors, and mythological creatures had used over the centuries they'd been battling each other. Hundreds of gla.s.s cases stood inside the library, each one containing something different. Like a pair of talon-tipped gloves that had been worn by Bastet, the Egyptian cat G.o.ddess. Or a gold coin that had come from the treasure trove of Andvari, a dwarf in Norse mythology.

When I'd first come to Mythos, I thought all the artifacts and the plaques and cards that told about their histories, users, and supposed magic had been kind of lame, but now I thought they were some of the most interesting things on campus. Besides, tonight, reading about other warriors and their possessions gave me a much-needed escape from my own problems.

It only took me twenty minutes to shelve all the books, but I stayed back in the stacks for two hours, just wandering from one bookshelf, one row, one display case, to the next. Alexei trailed along behind me the whole time. The good thing about him being so quiet was that he didn't complain when I finally parked the empty cart in an aisle next to the office complex, sat down on the floor, and pulled my knees up to my chest. I stayed like that for a long time, staring off into s.p.a.ce and worrying about the Protectorate and what the rest of the Powers That Were planned to do to me tomorrow during my trial- A sharp bang snapped me out of my thoughts. A second later, a voice drifted over to me-a loud, angry voice.

"This is unacceptable, Nickamedes. Completely unacceptable."

I looked over at Alexei. He'd heard the noises too because he'd turned in the direction of the sound and was peering through a gap in the bookshelf at something. I scrambled to my feet and hurried over to stand beside him.

Nickamedes stood on the back side of the gla.s.s office complex, away from the students and study tables-along with Linus Quinn. The two men had their arms crossed over their chests, glaring at each other.

"No, Linus," Nickamedes snapped. "What is unacceptable is the way you are persecuting Gwendolyn for something she didn't do. You read my report. And Aurora's and Ajax's and even Raven's. You know what happened that night and how Loki really got free. But yet, here you are, putting an innocent girl on trial."

Alexei pointed at the far end of the bookshelf, silently telling me that we should walk away from the adults. I shook my head and stayed where I was. Yeah, maybe it was wrong, but I was totally eavesdropping on this conversation. Maybe if I knew why Linus disliked me so much, I could figure out a way to fix things-or at least get him to quit being so frigid toward me.

Linus's face hardened. "Oh yes. I've read the reports on Gwen Frost. That girl has been nothing trouble since she came to Mythos. Sneaking off campus, using her magic to extort money out of the other students, claiming that she's some sort of Champion. And now, when I actually come to the academy to conduct a proper investigation into her actions, I find her out on a date with my son. My son, Nickamedes. Your nephew. The one you vowed to protect. Or have you forgotten that promise?"

Nickamedes stiffened. "Logan doesn't need protecting from Gwendolyn. The two of them are . . . friends."

"Friends." Linus let out a bitter laugh. "Like you and Grace Frost were friends?"

A muscle twitched in the librarian's jaw, but he didn't respond. A couple of weeks ago, Nickamedes had told me that he'd known my mom back when they'd attended the academy and that the two of them had once been a couple-in love. But over the years, my mom had grown tired of being Nike's Champion so she'd left Mythos and everything it represented behind when she'd finally graduated from the academy-including Nickamedes.

"It's because she's Grace's daughter, isn't it?" Linus said. "That's the reason you're protecting the girl instead of having her expelled like you should have months ago." He shook his head. "I see she has you wrapped around her little finger just like Grace did."

Nickamedes uncrossed his arms. His hands lowered to his sides, and his fingers slowly balled into fists. "You never liked Grace because she was chosen to be a Champion, and you weren't. And not just any Champion, but Nike's Champion, the best of the best. You were always jealous of her for that-and because she didn't want to join the Protectorate after graduation like you did. You knew what a coup it would be to get Nike's Champion to enter the Protectorate, and you wanted to use her to further your own career. Grace was always better than you, and you resented her for it. I never understood the obsessive need you had to compete with her in the cla.s.sroom, in the gym, and everywhere else."

"And I never understood why you always leaped to her defense," Linus snapped back. "We're Spartans, Nickamedes. We're the best of the best. And yet, someone else was chosen to be Nike's Champion instead of one of us. It doesn't make any sense. It didn't back then, and it certainly doesn't now. Logan should be a Champion, Nike's Champion, not this-this foolish girl. From what I see, she's even worse than her mother was, and Grace was by no means Champion material. Nike should have done us all a favor and cut ties with the Frost family years ago. I thought perhaps it had finally ended when Grace was killed by Reapers. I'd certainly hoped so anyway."

Rage erupted in my heart, blotting out everything else. That was enough. That was enough! It was one thing to snidely talk about and blame me for the mistakes I'd made. I deserved nothing less for my epic failure to keep Loki imprisoned. But my mom was gone. Dead. Murdered. She couldn't defend herself, and I wasn't just going to stand around and listen to someone bad-mouth her when she'd died serving Nike, when she'd died trying to protect us all.

Hands clenched, I stalked out of the stacks. Alexei tried to grab my shoulder, but I ducked his hand and hurried forward. Nickamedes and Linus whirled around at the scuff of my sneakers on the marble floor.

I walked right up to the head of the Protectorate and put my hands on my hips. "Don't you dare talk about my mom like that. She was a good person, and she did everything she could to fight the Reapers. She's the one who hid the Helheim Dagger from them. She's the reason they didn't find it and use it to free Loki years ago. So don't you dare blame her for anything. Not one thing."

"And you're the one who found the dagger your mother so carefully hid," Linus said in a soft, accusing voice. "And now, Loki is free, and the Reapers are on the verge of declaring a second Chaos War. If your mother had been smart, if she'd been a true Champion, she would have destroyed the dagger when she had the chance. Or at least made sure that you never found it."

I couldn't argue with his logic, since the same thoughts had crossed my mind more than once. But he was talking about my mom like she was some kind of villain, like I was some kind of villain, when Vivian was to blame for everything that had happened-including my mom's murder. Where had Linus been when Vivian had kidnapped me? Where had the Protectorate been when she'd used my blood to free Loki? When she'd killed Nott? Why hadn't they come to the rescue then? Why hadn't they stopped her?

I opened my mouth to tell him exactly what I thought about him and his stupid Protectorate when a low voice called out behind me.

"Enough, Dad. That's enough."

I turned around, and Logan stepped out of the stacks.

Chapter 10.

Logan walked over and stopped beside me. Linus frowned at the sight of his son standing so close to me, as though I could infect Logan with my recklessness just by being next to him. The Spartan glared right back at his father.

"I think Logan's right," a soft, feminine voice called out. "There's been enough arguing-on everyone's part."

To my surprise, a woman appeared behind Logan-one who was beautiful enough to be a G.o.ddess. She had long, honey-colored hair, bright green eyes, and flawless bronze skin. She wore a simple black pantsuit, but somehow she made the fabric look regal, as though it were the finest silk draped around her tall, slender figure. A gold necklace glimmered around her throat. Four small, round gemstones had been set into the chain, and the faint flash of the alternating rubies and emeralds only added to the woman's elegance.

Nickamedes's face hardened at the sight of her. "Agrona."

She tipped her head to him. "Nickamedes."

I looked at Logan, my eyebrows raised, and he finally realized that I didn't know who she was.

"This is Agrona Quinn. My stepmom. Agrona, this is Gwen Frost."

My mouth opened, but no words came out. I knew that Logan's mom had been murdered by Reapers when he was five, but he'd never mentioned that his father had remarried.

I hesitated, wondering if she hated me as much as her husband did. Finally, I nodded at her. "h.e.l.lo. It's nice to meet you."

Instead of glowering, she smiled back at me, her face warm and inviting. "It's nice to finally meet you, Gwen. I've heard a lot about you."

Nickamedes barked out a laugh. "I just bet you have, since you're Linus's right hand in the Protectorate and on the academy board."

I frowned. "In the Protectorate? Then that means . . ."

Agrona stared at me. "That I'll be among the Protectorate members hearing your case tomorrow."

Her smile turned into more of a grimace, as though she didn't like the thought of my being on trial any more than I did. Somehow, the disappointed expression only made her seem even more radiant-and made Nickemades scowl that much more.

Linus walked over to his wife and kissed her cheek. "There you are, darling. I was wondering when you were going to arrive."

Agrona smiled at her husband. "The driver dropped me off twenty minutes ago. You said you were stopping by the library, so I came straight here in hopes of catching you. I spotted Logan coming inside, and he told me that you might be back here."

Linus's whole face softened as he looked at her. It was obvious that he loved Agrona, and the expression almost made him seem human. Then, he noticed me watching them, and his lips clamped down and the brightness was snuffed out of his eyes. Almost.

He turned to Logan. "I was just talking to your uncle about you. Perhaps, you, Agrona, and I can go out for dinner tonight. We have a lot to discuss."

Logan stared at his father, then Agrona, and finally at me.

"It's okay," I said, not wanting to cause any more problems between Logan and his dad. "Go ahead."

The Spartan shook his head. "I think I'll pa.s.s. I'd rather stay here with Gwen."

His words warmed my heart, even as they caused his dad's face to ice over that much more. But Linus reined in his temper.

"Breakfast tomorrow, then," he said in a tight voice. "And that's not a request."

Logan glared at his dad, both of them bristling with anger. Agrona stepped in between them and threaded her arm through Linus's.

"Breakfast, it is then," she said in a soft voice, trying to smooth over the situation, something she probably had to do a lot between them. "It will be wonderful catching up with you, Logan."

The Spartan tried to smile, but he couldn't quite manage it. "And you too, Agrona."

Linus looked at his son another moment before turning back to Nickamedes. "Our previous conversation isn't over. Don't forget what I said in the meantime. I'd hate to have to repeat myself."

"How could I ever do that when such pearls of wisdom always seem to fall from your lips?" Nickamedes replied in a snide voice.

Anger flashed in Linus's eyes, but Agrona held on to his arm and kept him by her side.

"You might be head of the Protectorate, but I'm in charge of the library," Nickamedes said. "And I think it's time for you to leave. Gwendolyn needs to get back to work, and so do I."

Linus stiffened, then turned on his heel and stalked around the back of the office complex and toward the front of the library. Agrona gave everyone an apologetic smile. Her eyes lingered on me a moment before she turned and hurried after her husband.

"Good riddance," Nickamedes muttered.

The librarian stood there, his features pinched with anger, before he glanced at me. "I have to go out and run some errands, Gwendolyn. I'll be back in time to close the library. Do me a favor and try not to destroy anything while I'm gone, please?"

He didn't even wait for me to answer before he went into the office complex, slamming the door so hard behind him that the gla.s.s shuddered. Nickamedes grabbed some books and other items off his desk, then headed out of his office and pushed through the door that led out to the front side of the library. That left me standing with Logan, and of course Alexei, who was hovering in the background as usual.

"What was all that about?" I asked Logan.

The Spartan sighed. "It's a long story. Come on. Let's get something to drink, and I'll tell you all about it."

Logan went over to Raven's coffee cart and bought us a couple of cold sodas, while I stayed in the stacks. The Spartan came back and handed me a ginger ale. He also pa.s.sed one to Alexei. To my surprise, the other guy took the soda. Then again, it was Logan who had given it to him, not me, the evil, evil Reaper girl.

Logan looked at Alexei, who'd once again stayed quiet through all the conversations and confrontations. "Alexei, can you give us a little s.p.a.ce, please?"

Alexei looked at me, then nodded. He moved about twenty feet away, drinking his soda and pretending to be interested in two swords that were housed in one of the artifact cases. Or maybe he really was into the swords. It was hard to tell with him.

Logan and I sat down on the floor in the same spot where I'd been before. We drank our sodas, Logan gulping his down, while I only sipped mine. I had even less appet.i.te now than ever before. A minute later, the Spartan crumpled his empty can in his fist and put it down.

"I'm sorry about my dad," he finally said. "Like I've told you before, he and Nickamedes do not get along."