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Chapter 1

"I have a confession to make"

Logan Quinn looked at irl? What's that?"

I shifted on my feet "I don't actually like coffee"

The Spartan stared at rin "You probably should have mentioned that before now"

Yeah, I probably should have, since ere in a coffee shop A large counter; lots of coods and goddesses on the walls; a display case full of blueberry scones, raspberry tarts, and decadent chocolate cheesecakes Kaldi Coffee looked like your typical java joint, except that everything was first class and super-pricey all the way, from the fancy espresso machines that hissed and burped to the rich, dark aroma of the ridiculously expensive coffee that flavored the air

Then again, such luxury was the norm in the upscale stores in Cypress Mountain, North Carolina The Mythos Acade less than the best, and Kaldi's was one of theOut and Be Seen when the students had free time, like we did today Afternoon classes and activities had been cancelled so all the kids could attend so assembly at the academy's aoing to be about Probably some more hearty reassurances from the professors and staff that all us warrior whiz kids were as safe as we could be at the academy, now that Loki was free

For a moment, a face flashed before my eyes-the most hideous face I'd ever seen One side so perfect, with its golden hair, piercing blue eye, and smooth features The other side so cos of black hair, red eye, and melted skin

Loki-the evil god that I'd helped set free against my will

A shudder rippled through ot anything I saw, but the ie of Loki's double-face was burned intoor whoet what had happened, I saw the Norse trickster god's i in the s of lossy surface ofin the mirror, like a devil perched on my shoulder

I shuddered again It had taken all the strength I had not to screa and had suddenly seen Loki grinning at me in my bathroom mirror, the perfect side of his face lifted up into a smile, and the ruined side turned down into a horrible, twisted sneer-

"Gypsy girl?" Logan asked in a soft voice "Are you still here with me?"

I pushed all thoughts of Loki away andmore than to wrap my arms around myself and huddle into a ball in the corner

"I know, I know," I grumbled "I should have told you that I don't actually drink coffee I just didn't want anything to ruin our first date, and when you suggested coffee"

"You went along with it," Logan finished

I shrugged

Maybe it was thinking of Loki and his split face, but as I looked at Logan, I was once again reorgeous, with his thick, ink-black hair and intense ice-blue eyes His designer jeans, blue sweater, and expensive leather jacket only highlighted how strong and muscled his body was

Next to hiround Theabout ht look twice at my eyes, which were an unusual shade of violet, but the only thing special about me was the necklace I wore Six silver strands curved around my throat before their diamond-tipped points forift froh it didn't exactly go with ner jeans and sneakers

And it wasn't just our looks and clothes that were different Logan was a fierce Spartan warrior as the best fighter at the acadeure out hoield a sword, even though I was Nike's Chaoddess of victory to help her fight Loki and his Reapers of Chaos here in theI had failed at prettythe world into a second Chaos War

"You knohat, Gypsy girl?" Logan said, once again interruptingcould ruin this date Ask me why"

"Why?"

He slung his arrinned "Because I'm on it with you"

And suddenly, everything was okay, and I could breathe again

That's why I was head over heels for the Spartan Logan could be everything fro, but then he went and said things like that Was it any wonder I had such a massive crush on him?

Okay, okay, so iven everything we'd been through,ht it was; that's what it felt like tothat filled rinned at et about my worries

Like now

I sighed and put ed , but he didn't need to Just being close to hi around each other

"You guys ready to order?" the barista asked

We stepped up to the counter The Spartan ordered a triple espresso since he loved the caffeine rush, while I got a hot, honey-poan started to pull his wallet out of his jeans, but I beat him to it and handed the barista a twenty-dollar bill

"My treat," I said "After all, I'ested coffee in the first place way back when"

Logan nodded "That you did All right, Gypsy girl Your treat This time The next round's on me"

We got our drinks and went over to a table in the corner of the shop next to a stone fireplace Since the students had been given the afternoon off, eren't the only Mythos kids who'd decided to co to eat and drink before the assembly started in another half hour or so I spotted several students I knew, including Kenzie Tanaka, Logan's Spartan friend, as on his own date with Talia Pizarro, a pretty Aym class I waved at the his attention back to Talia

"What is he doing here with her?" A sneering voice drifted over to me