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A lol ripped through the air

The guy stopped His head snapped left, then right, as he tried to figure out where the sound had coination and started up the steps again

Once uy took a step back, suddenly uncertain The growl kept going and going, like a ru a little louder and a little closer with each passing second His friends also looked around, confused by as happening I was the only one who noticed that the eyes of the gryphon statue had narrowed to slits and that its angry gaze was fixed on the guy in front of uy looked at me, and I casually crossed ainst the statue He stared at ht back at him

"She’s not worth it," he finally et out of here I’uys headed the opposite direction across the quad I stood in hed and sluryphon

"Thank you for that," I whispered

The side of the gryphon’sI patted it on the head, then turned to go inside the library

Alexei, who’d been hanging back through all of this, finally stepped forward He gave e look, as if he couldn’t believe that I was talking to a statue, but at this point, I didn’t care what he thought of me

"You can stand out here in the cold if you want, but I’ inside the library where it’s war away

I reached the doors that led inside the library and looked overup the exact center of the steps, giving the gryphon statues suspicious looks and as wide a berth as he possibly could For the first time today, a s to be said for creepy statues after all

Chapter 9

I went inside the building, walked down a hallway, and stepped through the open double doors into the main space of the Library of Antiquities

With its seven stories, the library was the largest building on ca-the widest balconies, the tallest towers, the most lifelike statues And it was just as impressive inside as it was on the outside The main room was shaped like an enoraze up at each one of the library’sfrescoes, iical battles, e jewels But I’d never been up to the top level to look for round floor were shadows Maybe it was better that way, since the statues of the gods were already staring at me

The second floor of the library featured a balcony that boasted white oddesses froyptian deities like Ra and Anubis Norse gods like Odin and Thor Native Aures like the Coyote Trickster and Rabbit The only god asn’t featured in the circular pantheon was Loki, and there was an e the evil god in person, I was glad there wasn’t a statue of him here or anywhere else on cah already, his one red eye burning into both of e of how I’d failed everyone I didn’t need to look up and see Loki’s twisted face grinning down at me, another reminder of the horror I’d unleashed and the death and destruction that he and his Reapers of Chaos were planning

Instead of going down the main aisle toward the checkout counter, I headed back into the stacks Alexei followeduntil I came to a familiar, reht above oddess of victory looked the sa around her body, ringlets of hair falling past her sli up over her back, a crown of laurels resting on her head Every time I came into the library, I took a oddess It see to do

"Well, here I aain," I murmured "But I’m sure you already know all about it You always seeiveexecuted?"

But of course, she didn’t answer ods, Nike only appeared to mortals on her own terms, and I was no different, despite the fact that I was her Cha-that way

Then again, the goddess was probably busy trying to fix theLoki Nike had told , one we all needed to prepare for, including the gods But how could I help her win a hen I was in danger of losing everything?

"Anyway, I’o to work now But if you want to drop by the checkout counter later, well, I’ll be there, just like always," I told the statue "Just don’t let Nickaas aren’t allowed in the library or so silly like that You kno he is"

The statue’s lips lifted up into a sesture, but it madeon and she hadn’t forgotten aboutout forto be okay in the end

Alexei gaveI had a serious case of the cray-cray and was off nored him and headed to the main part of the library As soon as I stepped out of the stacks, all eyes turned toat the study tables put their heads together and started whispering I squared my shoulders, lifted my chin, and pretended I didn’t even see the about me

"I can’t believe she actually showed her face here"

"What is she thinking?"

"Doesn’t she know that everyone hates her?"

I snorted at that last comment Oh yeah I knew exactly how much everyone despised me, since they’d all

I stepped behind the long checkout counter that divided the library in two and slungdown into its usual spot I turned to Alexei and pointed to a stool at the far end of the counter